Aaron Rodgers was always the No. 1 target for the New York Jets this offseason with Derek Carr considered No. 2 but certainly be a good margin. But it turns out there was a third potential option for the Jets: Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
According to a report by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Jets actually called the Rams about the availability of the Super Bowl LVI champion as trade talks stalled and a lack of clarity became apparent on Rodgers.
“Sources say that when the Jets’ pursuit of Rodgers lagged — due to lack of clarity on what Rodgers wanted and pre-darkness retreat concerns about whether he would even play in 2023 — the Jets called the Rams to see if Matthew Stafford would be available in a trade,” Rapoport wrote. “Talks between New York and Los Angeles were brief, simple and to the point.”
As it turned out, those talks went pretty much nowhere. The Rams were not moving Stafford.
Added Rapoport: “As two sources explained, the Rams were adamant Stafford wasn’t going anywhere. The talks between the two teams were more exploratory than anything else with L.A. showing no willingness to do a deal, but the Jets didn’t want to leave a stone unturned in their quest for a franchise QB.”
In the end, the Jets got their man in Rodgers. But this is just another example of how adamant the Jets were about finding a veteran quarterback this offseason. They weren’t leaving anything to chance.