NFL Rumors: Matt Ryan, Carson Wentz Contacted Jets After Aaron Rodgers' Injury

Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz both reached out to the New York Jets after Aaron Rodgers suffered what's expected to be a season-ending Achilles injury, according to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer.

Glazer added New York remains committed to Zach Wilson as Rodgers' replacement.

That aligns with what The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported on Sept. 17 when she wrote the Jets "do not have any plans to reach out to Tom Brady, Joe Flacco, Philip Rivers, Blake Bortles or Ben Roethlisberger."

Russini added they "told each quarterback they spoke to that Wilson is the starter and they would be coming in as a backup."

Wilson did fine when coming on for an injured Rodgers in Week 1, going 14-of-21 for 140 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 22-16 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Week 2 was more what fans saw from the 2021 first-round pick last year. He went 12-of-27 for 170 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in a 30-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Leave aside his 68-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson and he averaged 3.9 yards through the air in his other 26 attempts.

Still, Glazer and Russini's reports paint a bleak picture in terms of the Jets' alternatives. When Ryan, Wentz, Roethlisberger and Rivers among others are being floated as possibilities, you don't have many solutions.

Ryan is coming off the worst year of his career. He threw for 3,057 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, and his 15 fumbles were one behind the league lead.

Wentz, meanwhile, is potentially looking at his fourth different team in as many seasons. The Philadelphia Eagles moved on after 2020, and the Colts and Washington Commanders both saw their bets on a bounce-back campaign backfire spectacularly.

Ryan and Wentz both have a clear experience edge on Wilson, and their ceilings might still be a bit higher. That's an indictment on Wilson more than anything else, and the last few seasons have offered compelling evidence neither Ryan nor Wentz is good enough to be a starting QB on a playoff team.