Brandon Marshall: Jets Should Pursue Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo Over Aaron Rodgers

Former New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall believes there are better quarterback options available to the Jets this offseason than Aaron Rodgers.

According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, Marshall said the following about the Jets' quarterback situation while doing media in Arizona for Sunday's Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles:

"Aaron Rodgers is the best thrower of the football our game has ever seen. This is our opportunity to really get it right and be in position to be contending next year. So, you can go Aaron Rodgers and feel like you'll get there, right? But what's going to happen after next year? I feel like a Derek Carr, even a Jimmy [Garoppolo], with that defense, with Elijah Moore used the right way and then Garrett [Wilson], we're set up for the next five to seven years.

"If I was [Jets owner] Woody Johnson, I would go Derek Carr as my 1, Jimmy G as my second option and then Aaron Rodgers as my third option."

Rodgers is potentially available for trade this offseason if the Green Bay Packers decide to move forward with Jordan Love instead. The Las Vegas Raiders will almost certainly either trade or release Carr, and the San Francisco 49ers are unlikely to re-sign Garoppolo with Trey Lance and Brock Purdy in the fold.

New York is expected to be in the market for a new starting quarterback in the wake of 2021 No. 2 overall draft pick Zach Wilson failing to establish himself as a capable NFL starter.

In 22 starts over his first two seasons, Wilson is 8-14 and has completed just 55.2 percent of his passes for 4,022 yards, 15 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

Going from Wilson to Rodgers would be one of the biggest swings in career accomplishments possible, as the 39-year-old Rodgers is a 10-time Pro Bowler, four-time first-team All-Pro, four-time NFL MVP and one-time Super Bowl champion.

Rodgers won the NFL MVP Award in both 2020 and 2021, but his production dropped off last season to the tune of a 64.6 percent completion percentage, 3,695 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, the most he's thrown since his first season as a starter in 2008.

Marshall questioned whether Rodgers would be a good fit in the Jets locker room and compared it to Brett Favre's ill-fated season with the team in 2008:

"It's his age, but also the fit in the locker room. Guys are definitely going to respect him, but I just feel like Derek Carr can get you there. Derek Carr is the first one in, last one out. Derek Carr, he meets people where they're at. The chemistry and continuity is everything. Remember, we tried this before with Brett Favre. We did this, Woody. We did it. We tried this before with Brett Favre. Derek Carr, that's all we need. We don't need the best quarterback. We need the right quarterback."

While Rodgers may be nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career, he may still be a better and more productive option than both Carr and Jimmy G.

The 31-year-old Carr spent nine seasons as the Raiders' starting quarterback and is their all-time leader in passing yardage (35,222) and passing touchdowns (217), but he led the Raiders to the playoffs only twice and has never won a postseason game.

Garoppolo has had more playoff success, leading the Niners to the Super Bowl in 2019 and the NFC Championship Game last season, but his individual production leaves something to be desired.

Due in part to injuries and his own limitations, Garoppolo has never thrown for 4,000 yards in a season and has only thrown 20 passing touchdowns twice.

It can also be argued that much of Jimmy G's success came from playing in one of the NFL's premier offensive systems under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Perhaps the biggest argument in favor of going after Carr or Garoppolo rather than Rodgers is that the Jets may be able to sign them in free agency rather than giving up valuable draft capital, which is the only way they would be able to get Rodgers.

The Jets have some talented, young weapons on offense in wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore and running back Breece Hall, but they desperately need a quarterback who can utilize them properly.

New York also hasn't reached the playoffs since 2010, so the organization figures to be aggressive in targeting the quarterback it believes fits best on the current roster.