All eyes have been on Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets for what feels like months now. The staring contest has gone on far too long between the Packers and Jets as they try to negotiate the terms of a deal for the four-time MVP.
While Rodgers sits and waits, perhaps the Jets should look to another quarterback looking for a new home.
Elliot Shorr-Parks of the Audacy Original Podcast “The Best Football Show” suggested the idea of the Jets going after Lamar Jackson instead of Rodgers as a better option for the franchise moving forward.
“If I’m the Jets and I’m sitting here, I have more interest in Lamar Jackson than I do Aaron Rodgers for a few reasons,” Shorr-Parks said (6:07 in player above). “Aaron Rodgers might be on the cusp of completely falling off. I know Lamar has not been great the last two years but Aaron Rodgers was not great last year in Green Bay, he’s older – considerably older –, and frankly, when you look at him going from one team to another and kind of the issues he had in Green Bay and how this whole trade thing is playing out, I don’t know if bringing him onto the Jets is a winning situation for them.”
It may in fact make more sense for the Jets to have Lamar Jackson at quarterback instead of Aaron Rodgers, but it’s not that simple. While New York has built a good young core with rookies of the year on both sides of the ball, the cap hit and commitment the Jets would need to make to Jackson is massive.
At the same time, that commitment could be worth it.
“The Jets are set up for a quarterback to succeed. They have great receivers, great defense, the offensive line’s good enough, they have good running backs, so Rodgers can go there and succeed,” Shorr-Parks continued. “But I think you can get a quarterback like Lamar, who is younger, probably obviously going to cost more in terms of capital and draft picks, but he can be a guy that can be your quarterback for the next five years.”
Jackson is still just 26 years old and although he hasn’t played up to the 2019 version of himself in the past few years, a fresh start with an up-and-coming team could reignite that fire.
Rodgers, on the other hand, is likely only going to hang around for another year or two.
“Realistically with Rodgers, you’re looking at maybe two. You’re looking at insane pressure to win the Super Bowl next year and then if he’s good maybe you have a chance in 2024,” Shorr-Parks said. “But realistically, it’s only going to be two years with Rodgers of him being good. With Lamar, you’re looking at multiple years. You’re looking at someone who can come in and truly establish himself as the franchise quarterback.”
Jackson also has the upper hand in terms of popularity around the league with players, which Shorr-Parks doesn’t think you can say the same about for the polarizing Rodgers.
“Lamar would go to New York and he would be the guy. He would be the face of the franchise, his teammates would know they can build around him, it would be a true commitment to a franchise quarterback.
“Rodgers is ‘We have to win the Super Bowl this year or it’s a complete bust,’ and frankly, I don’t think they’re good enough, especially when you look at the AFC. The Jets are still probably a year away from being that team. You bring in Lamar and you have a real chance to win with him this year but you also open a three-to-four-year window of winning a Super Bowl.”
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