According to Jeremy Fowler, free agent quarterback Derek Carr apparently has a slight lean towards the New York Jets as his next home in the NFL.
The way the Las Vegas Raiders handled Derek Carr’s situation was inexcusable to me. In return, Carr would not sign off on a trade, and as a result, the Raiders simply released the player. Carr has since made some early free agency visits to get ahead of schedule.
Most notably, he’s met with the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, and New York Jets. Of those three teams, Fowler indicates that he has a slight lean to the Jets.
While the #Panthers and #Saints remain in the conversation for Derek Carr, the former Pro Bowl quarterback has a slight lean toward the #Jets as his next home as of now, per source. Nothing is final, but Jets -- who are linked to Aaron Rodgers -- have made an impression.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 5, 2023
I think it’s mostly obvious why the Jets would be the favorite of the three for Carr. He still gets to play in the AFC where he’s spent his career. He also gets to play in a big market in New York, and the Jets do have quite the roster.
They were 7-4 at one point during the 2022 season playing Zach Wilson and Mike White at quarterback. Joe Douglas has largely done a great job at building the roster up since he took over several years ago, but it’s clear that he missed on Zach Wilson.
I do think the Jets have the strongest roster in the AFC East, and Derek Carr would finally be in a stable situation.
Robert Saleh appears to be a competent head coach and with a solid GM to boot in Joe Douglas, Carr could enjoy a few solid years as a Jet.
I don’t like the Saints as a fit one bit. Even though the NFC South is wide open, the Saints are millions over the cap and don’t have a solid coach in place. Dennis Allen appears to be a solid coordinator, but I don’t think he cuts it as a HC in the NFL.
I would love the Carolina Panthers as a potential fit. What they’ve done with their coaching staff this offseason has been nothing short of excellent. Frank Reich has built a quality staff and I’d also argue that Carolina’s roster is better than people think.
However, I don’t think it’s a surprise that the Jets appear to be Carr’s favorite thus far.