In the 2023 offseason, the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets both needed a quarterback, and both wanted Derek Carr.
Carr clearly chose to come to the Crescent City, and he recalled a past conversation with Jets coach Robert Saleh during an appearance on the “Pardon My Take” podcast. He says Saleh told Carr the Jets would love to have him. Carr considered it but decided it wasn’t the right time to make a decision, because he still had to visit multiple other teams.
It should come as no surprise Carr was sought after; it was reported at the time the Jets were in on him. He was the top free agent quarterback, and other teams like the Carolina Panthers also pursued him. After he decided to come to New Orleans, the Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers the following month. No, the Jets wouldn’t have chosen Carr over Rodgers, but at the time of the conversation Rodgers was likely still “mulling” retirement.
It makes you wonder what the Saints would have done if Carr had chosen to go with the Jets. Would the Saints have turned around and handed out a couple of draft picks to get Rodgers instead of the Jets? Would they have went for a rookie like Will Levis? They could have ran it back with Jameis Winston, but the belief in Winston seemed to fracture at the beginning of the 2022 season.
In the end, relationships reigned supreme. Carr chose to partner with his former head coach and Rodgers went to be with a former Packers assistant Nathanial Hackett in New York.
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