New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas is tiptoeing around discussing a timeline for adding a veteran quarterback.
During his Tuesday media session at the NFL Scouting Combine, Douglas confirmed the club met with free-agent quarterback Derek Carr but declined to discuss any other options who might be on the Jets’ radar.
“That was a fantastic visit,” he said of the meeting with Carr. “We really enjoyed spending time with him. Obviously, he’s the only quarterback I can shed any light on for you guys, since he’s the only quarterback that’s a free agent, but I can say he left a strong impression with everybody. Obviously, we’re going to be exploring the veteran quarterback market this offseason. We’re going to look at every available option. We feel like when it’s time to make the right decision, when everyone goes through their process, we’re going to make the best decision for the Jets.”
Douglas confirmed NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport’s report that the Jets would meet with Carr again during the combine. The GM praised Carr as a “high-level producer” who is “ultra-intelligent” and “highly competitive.”
The name that didn’t tumble from Douglas’ lips was the one most on the mind of reporters and fans: Aaron Rodgers.
The GM deftly sidestepped any attempts at discussing Rodgers’ potential availability. First, the QB must decide if he wants to continue playing. Then Rodgers must decide whether to play in Green Bay or be traded. Only after that could the Jets make a potential play for the four-time Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player.
The Packers expect a decision from Rodgers before free agency, but in the meantime, the Jets will meet with Carr. Douglas must contend with a delicate balance of waiting out Rodgers’ decision while not potentially losing out on Carr if Rodgers isn’t an option.
“I think it’s hard to put an exact timetable,” Douglas said of when he hopes to have a decision. “I think everybody would like it done sooner rather than later, but everyone has their own process.”
However the situation in New York plays out with a veteran addition, Douglas reiterated that they haven’t given up on Zach Wilson, the former No. 2 overall pick.
“Again, our stance on Zach hasn’t changed,” he said. “We feel like Zach has a very high ceiling. Obviously, the first two years haven’t played out the way that anybody’s hoped, but we still feel like there’s a very high ceiling with Zach. In my time in the league, I’ve found that when players love this game and players work their tails off, they usually hit their ceiling. We feel like Zach definitely has those traits. So still feel strongly that Zach is gonna be able to hit his ceiling.”
Given that Gang Green is big-game hunting for a veteran QB, Wilson won’t be in line to hit that ceiling in 2023.
