Raiders 2023 free agency: 3 teams that make sense for Derek Carr
By Jason Willis
Raiders 2023 free agency: 3 teams that make sense for Derek Carr
New York Jets
Perhaps no team was hindered by quarterback play quite as much as the New York Jets last season. With former number two overall pick Zach Wilson looking to be one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory, the team needs to find an answer at the position to take advantage of a rebuilt roster.
Perhaps the biggest reason Carr would be enticed by the Jets is their recent hiring of Todd Downing as their quarterbacks’ coach. The Raiders QB coach during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Carr enjoyed some of his best seasons with Downing as his position coach. Of course, the two struggled when Downing was promoted to offensive coordinator but they always appeared to have a good relationship.
On the field, last year’s first-round pick Garrett Wilson just won offensive rookie of the year and creates a good receiving duo with Elijah Moore. At running back, Breece Hall may have won the reward himself had he not gotten hurt early in the season.
The biggest worry for Carr is how he will hold up in New York. With a terrible record in cold weather games, can he play well enough in the elements on the east coast? Furthermore, the media is notoriously hard on Jets quarterbacks. For a player who has not always handled criticism well, it would certainly be an adjustment.
Alas, if everything went well for the Jets and Carr in 2023, they would almost certainly be a playoff team. A proposition that certainly makes this an interesting fit for Carr’s services.