Getty New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh during a game in 2022.
The New York Jets Week 14 matchup with the Buffalo Bills is a true measuring stick game for head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas.
The Bills are currently the team to beat in the AFC East and the Jets appear to be on the doorstep of real postseason contention and success. If they were to sweep the 2022 Super Bowl favorite with a victory in Buffalo, it would certainly go a long way in proving that this team is for real.
At the same time, if quarterback Mike White struggles and they lose, the narrative could shift back to developing Zach Wilson or bringing in a new signal-caller in 2023. The latter plan could make for an interesting offseason, even if the Jets keep Wilson on the roster.
White is a free agent, after all, and there are plenty of veteran options out there with more of a reliable track record than the journeyman. One new red-hot candidate is emerging as we speak.
Jets Rumors: New Trade Links Lions’ Jared Goff to New York
During an NFL quarterback rumors article on Bleacher Report, writer Tyler Conway went over the wide-open QB market — discussing different franchises that could be looking for a change at the position, as well as draft prospects and veteran passers that could be on the move in 2023.
“The Jets offense has come alive with Mike White under center, but he likely isn’t a long-term solution,” detailed Conway on Gang Green. “They’re an obvious free-agent fit for Jimmy Garoppolo, given the familiarity with head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur from their time in San Francisco.”
This was nothing new — we’ve all heard the Garoppolo speculation by now — but that’s when the NFL contributor brought up a trade option that has not been discussed by many.
“The Jets could also be active in the trade market and look to add a veteran piece like Jared Goff,” he continued. “Detroit’s willingness to move Goff will depend on whether it plans to add a quarterback at the top of the draft [or not].”
The Athletic’s senior NFL writer Mike Sando also listed the Detroit Lions as an organization that should be “looking to upgrade” the position this offseason.
“The Lions got their current quarterback, Jared Goff, from the Rams. They could get their next one via the Rams as well, given that Detroit holds Los Angeles’ first-round pick in 2023 (currently sixth),” Sando reasoned. “Goff’s contract becomes easy for the Lions to escape after this season. He has played well enough for the Lions to stay the course, but if the Lions are on the rise, the 2023 draft could be their last chance (for a while) to select a quarterback near the top.”
What Would Jared Goff Cost the Jets?
It’s unclear what the $134 million quarterback might cost via trade but considering Detroit acquired him as a throw-in during the Matthew Stafford deal, the draft return should be much more reasonable than a blockbuster for someone like Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr — and he’s currently outplaying both with the Lions in 2022.
Based on QBR, the former 2016 No. 1 overall pick is having the second-best campaign of his career right now. During his top season, he helped lead the Los Angeles Rams to the Super Bowl in 2018.
Here are Goff’s current numbers on a lousy Detroit team:
- 64.9% completions.
- 251.8 passing yards per game.
- 19 passing touchdowns compared to seven interceptions.
- 95.7 passer rating, 60.5 QBR.
- Has won four out of his last five with a 7-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio.
Goff is a pocket passer like White, and he’d most likely act as a more experienced placeholder for Wilson. The Lions QB has also been to a title game, and you can trust that he has what it takes to get there. Who knows, maybe he could even win a championship behind a defense like the Jets current group.
The ex-Rams draft pick is affordable too. His cap hit is just over $30 million the next two seasons — which is low for a veteran quarterback — and Douglas would only sacrifice $5 million in dead cap if he wanted to cut Goff in 2024 and go back to Wilson.
Whether it’s a one-year rental or a short-term fix, Goff checks a lot of the boxes that the Jets are looking to fill, and it sounds like he could be had as Detroit looks to the draft for a long-term answer. Is Goff the future QB1 in New York?