Derek Carr has had a very good NFL career. The New York Jets, however, may have laid it on a bit thick when trying to recruit him.
Carr, who split with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason after a very public falling out, is a free agent for the first time in his nine-year career. The 31-year-old has taken full advantage out of his new distinction, going on a free-agency tour that started with the New Orleans Saints and continued last week with the Jets.
Knowing Carr has all of the leverage, New York got a bit desperate in their attempt to woo the four-time Pro Bowler.
“In terms of that visit with the New York Jets, I heard it went really well on both sides,” ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported on “NFL Live” on Tuesday. “In terms of what New York was trying to sell him, because let’s face it, that’s what they’re trying to do at this point. They were pretty clear with him. They told him he was a great quarterback.
“They made it really personal too. They said, ‘We believe if you come to New York and win, you could be a first ballot Hall of Famer.’ They went full in on Derek Carr.”
New England Patriots legend and ESPN analyst Tedy Bruschi had a similar reaction to most, openly laughing as soon as Russini uttered the words “Hall of Famer.”
Though numbers become inflated over time, Carr has surpassed the 35,000-yard and 200-touchdown plateaus over the course of his career. Only 30 other quarterbacks can claim that.
Unfortunately for Carr, some of the names on that list include Kerry Collins, Dave Krieg, Alex Smith and Jay Cutler. Even with a ring and some more counting stats, it’s hard to agree with the Jets’ sentiments.
