NY Jets’ QB plans take a major hit as top option is officially off the market.
The NY Jets are expected to exhaust all of the options at their disposal in search of a new quarterback this offseason. From free agency to the trade market to the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jets will be on the hunt for Aaron Rodgers’ replacement in the coming months.
One name that’s been connected to the Jets quite a bit in recent weeks has been New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr. Carr’s future in New Orleans has remained uncertain, and in a weak quarterback market, the former Fresno State star would’ve instantly been a top option if he shook free from the Saints.
That seems highly unlikely at this stage, however. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis spoke to reporters at the NFL Combine on Wednesday and essentially confirmed that Carr will be the team’s starting quarterback in 2025.
The Saints have a potential out in Carr’s contract this offseason, as designating him as a post-June 1st cut would save the team $30 million in cap space. Despite this, Loomis made it clear the cap-strapped Saints are happy with their QB room.
Derek Carr is no longer a QB option for the NY Jets in 2025
Despite his team’s struggles, Carr remains a rock-solid starting-caliber quarterback. He’s thrown for 40 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions in two seasons with the Saints, leading his team to a 14-13 record in that time.
Carr likely isn’t as good as those raw box score numbers would suggest, but in an extremely weak quarterback market, he would instantly become one of the top options available if New Orleans decided to move on.
The Jets made plenty of sense as a landing spot for Carr if he was released. Not only was the team interested in signing him two offseasons ago before pivoting to Rodgers, but there’s also the Davante Adams factor.
Carr and Adams played together at both Fresno State and with the Raiders in Las Vegas. It’s possible Carr was the Jets’ only realistic quarterback option to salvage their relationship with Adams.
At the very least, Carr would have given the Jets a more reliable and credible starting quarterback option than the likes of Kirk Cousins, Tyrod Taylor, or even Justin Fields. As a short-term bridge quarterback, it’s hard to do much better than Carr, depending on his price, of course.
The Jets will now shift their attention to the rest of the QB market. Quarterbacks such as Fields, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and Marcus Mariota figure to be in the next tier of free-agent options, barring an unlikely Sam Darnold reunion or a Matthew Stafford swing.
The reality of the situation is that the Jets will likely look for their long-term quarterback solution in 2026. Carr would have been a solid bridge starter for a year or two, but with him off the table, the Jets will have to go in a different direction.