Jimmy Garoppolo injury proves NY Jets made the right QB decision

The NY Jets entered the 2023 offseason with an obvious desire to add a veteran quarterback. While the answer to the question of "Which quarterback?" might seem obvious now, it wasn't just a few months ago.

Everyone had an opinion. Some wanted the Jets to swing big and target Aaron Rodgers. Others wanted a safer bet, such as Derek Carr. Many others pushed for the Jets to sign Jimmy Garoppolo, given his history with the team's coaching staff.

Ultimately, the Jets swung for the fences and made Rodgers their top target. While it's unclear if Rodgers will work out in New York, what is clear is that the team absolutely made the right decision to steer clear of Garoppolo.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported on Saturday that Garoppolo actually failed his physical with the Las Vegas Raiders in March. As a result, the Raiders were forced to rework Garoppolo's contract to include a clause that allows the team to move on from him at no cost.

There's a chance that Garoppolo isn't even on the Raiders' roster come Week 1. Even if he is, the injury concerns that have followed him throughout his career aren't going away.

While the Raiders seemingly fumbled the bag dumping Carr for an inferior, more injury-prone quarterback, the Jets were wise with their QB decision.

NY Jets were right to choose Aaron Rodgers over Jimmy Garoppolo

It's easy to forget, but there was a significant portion of fans and analysts who wanted the Jets to pursue Garoppolo this offseason. It made some sense too, at least prior to the departure of former offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.

Garoppolo was a proven and capable starting-caliber quarterback who had experience with Saleh and LaFleur. The Jets needed a QB who could come in and hold down the fort, and Garoppolo fit the bill.

Ian O'Connor of the New York Post urged the Jets to sign Garoppolo and ignore the Rodgers temptation. NFL Network's Marc Ross said the same thing. So did Mark Cannnizzaro of the New York Post.

These takes are only a few months old. People were still saying this back in January and February. Yet, they're opinions that would be mocked and ridiculed if uttered today.

The Jets were criticized for their pursuit of Rodgers — for more than one reason. For starters, many simply didn't believe the Jets would be able to land him. Rodgers' intentions were unclear, and the Jets seemingly put all their eggs in his basket.

When Garoppolo signed with the Raiders early in free agency, some fans and analysts began to panic about the Jets' quarterback situation. The consensus was that they missed out on another quarterback while waiting for Rodgers to make his decision.

In the end, the Jets would secure Rodgers, and by all accounts, the future Hall of Famer appears more motivated than ever to silence his critics this season.

Again, time will tell if the Rodgers acquisition works out, but even in May, it's already abundantly clear that the Jets made the right decision passing on Garoppolo.