Jets named top landing spot for former Pro Bowl QB's rumored comeback

The New York Jets are expected to leave no stone unturned this offseason as they search for a new quarterback ahead of the 2026 season, and that could include eyeing up players who recently retired.

Former Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is rumored to be considering making a comeback in 2026, per NFL Network, after retiring from the NFL in May last year due to a severe shoulder injury.

The Jets were tabbed as one of the "best fits" for the former Pro Bowl quarterback by USA Today's Joe Rivera, and there could be a connection there with New York's new quarterbacks coach, Bill Musgrave.

Jets named best fit for Derek Carr if he comes out of retirement

Rivera points to New York's desperate need for stability at the quarterback position entering a season where head coach Aaron Glenn's job is on the line.

Carr could provide the Jets with a "competent floor offensively," and with New York's talented young offensive line, could provide the former Raiders Pro Bowler with one of the best situations he's seen in his 11-year career.

While Garrett Wilson is the lone elite receiving threat the Jets currently have, the team is poised to add another high-end wide receiver in either the draft or free agency with their premier draft capital and ample cap space. Throw in Adonai Mitchell and Mason Taylor, and the Jets have a decent array of weapons.

When the reports surrounding Carr's un-retirement first emerged, the wording was very interesting. NFL Network said he would only do it for the "right situation and coaching staff," and considering the Jets' newest quarterbacks coach, Musgrave, it could be the exact fit Carr is looking for.

Musgrave was Carr's offensive coordinator during his two best years with the Raiders, from 2015 to 2016. Carr was a Pro Bowler both seasons and even finished third in MVP voting in 2016. Could that be the situation that he's looking for under his former OC?

Who knows for sure, but it also feels important to note that this isn't the first time New York and Carr have been linked to each other.

The Jets and Carr flirted with one another during the 2023 offseason, before New York ultimately landed on Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But that was a different regime, and the Jets' current interest in Carr's services remains unseen.

Considering the new hire, it may make sense for both Carr and the Jets to take a good, long look at one another, and the former Saint could prove one of the best possible bridge options for the Jets as they look to be competitive in 2026.

The Jets would have to trade for Carr from New Orleans, but considering his age and New Orleans' up-and-coming quarterback Tyler Shough, the price wouldn't be all that steep, and likely would only cost a late-round pick, something the Jets should certainly be comfortable moving considering all their capital in the first and second rounds.