9 realistic QB options for NY Jets after Aaron Rodgers injury

The NY Jets were hit with the worst possible scenario on Monday night. Star quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the man who was brought in to lead the Jets to the postseason and beyond, suffered what is feared to be a season-ending torn Achilles.

For this snakebitten — some might say cursed — franchise, there are no words to describe the disappointment. The Jets have a Super Bowl-caliber roster, an excellent coaching staff, and the right regime in place. They thought they finally had a quarterback, but the football gods had other plans.

It's only Week 1, however. The Jets remain 1-0 following some late-game heroics and sit atop the AFC East. There is still football to be played. So, what could the Jets do at the quarterback position, assuming Rodgers is sidelined for the season?

The immediate plan seems to be to stick with Zach Wilson, but the Jets could still explore any of these realistic (that means no Tom Brady, sorry Jets fan) quarterback options either now or in the near future.

9. The NY Jets could sign Colt McCoy

Colt McCoy was the presumed Week 1 starter for the Arizona Cardinals before the team acquired Josh Dobbs in a trade. Just a few days later, McCoy was surprisingly released before the start of the season.

The 37-year-old has plenty of experience, with 13 NFL seasons under his belt and over 55 career games. He's one of the more appealing options in a thin group of free-agent quarterbacks.

McCoy started three games for the Washington Commanders in 2022, throwing just one touchdown and three interceptions. He did complete over 68 percent of his passes, though, and finished with a respectable 76.6 QBR.

McCoy is far from an appealing option, and he isn't even the best free-agent QB available, but he has experience on his side. That has to count for something when you're looking for a new QB in September.

8. The NY Jets could sign Matt Ryan

Speaking of experience, longtime Atlanta Falcons quarterback technically isn't retired just yet. The new CBS commentator may be transitioning to a career in broadcasting, but it's possible he'd pick up the phone if the Jets came calling.

At 38 years old, Ryan is a shell of his former self. He started 12 games for the Indianapolis Colts last season, finishing with 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions before he was benched in favor of Sam Ehlinger.

Ryan isn't remotely close to the player he was during his prime years in Atlanta, but he's still probably good enough to be on an NFL roster. He did complete 67 percent of his passes last season while averaging 6.6 yards per attempt.

The Jets seem intent on sticking with Zach Wilson for the time being, but you have to wonder if they'd be willing to give Ryan a call if their young quarterback struggles.

7. The NY Jets could try to trade for Kyler Murray

This is the most unrealistic option on this list, but it's worth considering. Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is still working his way back from a torn ACL he suffered late last season.

Murray is expected to return at some point in 2023, but the Cardinals are in no hurry to rush him back. It's also unclear if he still has a future in Arizona, especially if the Cardinals are eyeing a quarterback (see: Caleb Williams) in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Would the Cardinals consider trading Murray? Would he even be ready to play before the trade deadline? What about the financial aspect of the deal? Those are all valid questions the Jets would need to answer.

Still, it's absolutely worth making a call. The Jets must leave no stone unturned in their search for a QB, and Murray is one of the most talented options that could possibly be available.

6. The NY Jets could sign Blake Bortles

Jets fans might not want to hear this, but Blake Bortles makes some degree of sense as a quarterback target. The 31-year-old Bortles likely wouldn't be seen as an upgrade over Wilson, but he could potentially be brought in as depth.

That's because Bortles found his most success working under Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in Jacksonville. It's easy to forget, but Bortles had a couple of really nice seasons with the Jaguars before the wheels fell off.

Now, Bortles hasn't appeared in an NFL game since 2019. He hasn't started a game since 2018. He did spend time on the active rosters of the Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, and New Orleans Saints over the last few years, but he never appeared in a game.

There's also the fact that Bortles officially announced his retirement last October. He's worth throwing out there as an option, however, if only because of his experience with Hackett.

5. The NY Jets could sign Nick Foles

Another player with Jets ties is former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. Foles notably spent time in Philadelphia with Joe Douglas, so there are reasons to believe there could be interest from the Jets.

The issue is that Foles, currently a free agent, hasn't exactly looked very good when given the opportunity to play in recent years. He threw four interceptions and a whopping zero touchdowns in two starts with the Colts last season.

Foles has proven that he can be a reliable backup in the past, but it's been a few years since we've seen that Foles. What does the 34-year-old have left in the tank in the year 2023?

That's the question the Jets will be asking themselves. Still, he's one of the more interesting names on the free-agent market, and his ties to Douglas make him an obvious candidate to at least serve as a backup to Zach Wilson.

4. The NY Jets could sign Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco told ESPN's Jamison Hensley last week that he had no plans to retire and that he was hoping to sign with an NFL team this season. Flacco even alluded to the notion that he could sign with a team if an injury occurs to their starting quarterback.

As it turns out, the opportunity Flacco was waiting for might just have come with the team he's spent the better part of the last three years playing for. A Flacco reunion makes a ton of sense for the Jets.

He's started nine games over the last three seasons for the Jets, and he showed that, despite his obvious lack of mobility, he still has a little something left in the tank.

Flacco's familiarity with the Jets' coaching staff and his ties to Douglas make this an obvious move. It wouldn't be an exciting addition, but don't be surprised if the Jets re-sign Flacco to fill out their QB room.

3. The NY Jets could trade for Davis Mills

Let's have some fun with a couple of trade ideas, shall we? It's difficult to find realistic QB trade targets at this stage of the season because teams aren't looking to trade away good backups, let alone any starters.

One backup who could be available, however, is Davis Mills. The former third-round pick showed some promise as a starter over the last two seasons, but the Houston Texans ultimately opted to replace him with C.J. Stroud in this year's draft.

Mills is currently QB2 in Houston, but the Texans also have veteran Case Keenum on their roster. That could make Mills, set to be a free agent after the 2024 season, expendable.

Keenum also makes sense as a target, but the Jets can probably get a little more mileage out of Mills. At the very least, he's a capable backup and an upgrade over Zach Wilson.

2. The NY Jets could sign Carson Wentz

If the Jets are going to sign any notable free-agent quarterback, Carson Wentz is likely their best bet. Wentz, for all his glaring flaws as a QB, has still proven that he has the ability to play at a high level in this league.

He's just two years removed from a very respectable 27-touchdown, 7-interception season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2021. His 2022 season with Washington was a bit more challenging, but Wentz is likely the best option remaining on the open market.

The former Pro Bowler also has ties to Joe Douglas dating back to their days together in Philadelphia. He likely wouldn't lead the Jets to a Super Bowl, but Wentz would be an upgrade over the team's current quarterback situation.

Wentz's experience with Douglas makes him an obvious fit, and the Jets probably aren't going to do any better on the free-agent market. This move makes a ton of sense.

1. The NY Jets could trade for Jameis Winston

Of all the possible backup quarterbacks the Jets could realistically trade for, Jameis Winston is their best option. He's the Jets' best opportunity to land a QB that can possibly, in some weird world, lead them to a postseason run.

Winston was genuinely very good for the New Orleans Saints in 2021, throwing 14 touchdowns and just three interceptions before a torn ACL cut his season short. By the time he returned in 2022, the Saints had essentially moved on.

Winston still resides as the backup in New Orleans, but the Saints drafted Jake Haener (suspended until Week 7) in the fourth round and have Taysom Hill on their roster. There's every chance that Winston is available for trade.

Winston is a high-upside addition who could realistically be had in a trade. The Jets shouldn't waste any time making a call to the Saints to inquire about his availability.