4 QB options if the NY Jets miss out on Aaron Rodgers

1. The NY Jets can trade for Lamar Jackson

There is only one semi-viable and appealing option for the Jets if they miss out on Aaron Rodgers. The only way the Jets can miss out on both Rodgers and Carr and still come away with a big-name quarterback is if they found a way to trade for Lamar Jackson.

Jackson is arguably the most high-profile quarterback on the market this offseason. The former MVP is a top-10 quarterback in the NFL and a legitimate, bonafide franchise QB at just 26 years old.

The Baltimore Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson this past Tuesday, allowing other teams to negotiate with him and make an offer. The Ravens have the option to match any offer Jackson receives or receive two first-round picks in return.

In essence, the Ravens are telling Jackson to let the market dictate his price. If he can get another team to meet his valuation (which doesn't seem to be happening), they might just match it. If not, they can revisit negotiations with a better idea of his market value.

No team has stepped up to the plate just yet, perhaps due to the NFL owners' collective desire to avoid another market-setting contract. Whether spoken or unspoken, the NFL owners have an incentive to make an example out of Jackson.

But could a desperate team like the Jets, fresh off missing out on Aaron Rodgers, break that unspoken bond? Would Woody Johnson be desperate enough to ignore the NFL owners' apparent pact and make an offer of his own?

I could absolutely see it happening.

The problem is that the Ravens can always match any offer the Jets submit to Jackson. If the Jets are willing to set the market, perhaps Baltimore simply accepts their fate and matches the deal.

It's probably still a pipedream for the Jets to land Lamar Jackson, but if they miss on Rodgers, they absolutely should be all over his market. Don't settle for the small fish when there's a big fish left in the pond.