Will the Cincinnati Bengals trade Joe Burrow this offseason? If so, could the New York Jets become his next team?
Following a Week 14 loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Pro Bowl quarterback voiced his frustration.
“If I want to keep doing this, I have to have fun doing it,” said Burrow (via Ben Baby of ESPN). “I’ve been through a lot and if it’s not fun, then what am I doing it for? So that’s the mindset I’m trying to bring to the table.”
Burrow later said that his comments had nothing to do with Cincinnati. But who knows, it’s still possible he could demand a trade this offseason. If that’s the case, the Jets must pursue the former LSU star.
The Jets Must Do Whatever It Takes to Land Joe Burrow This Offseason
They’ve Never Replaced Joe Namath
The Green Bay Packers are one of the luckiest teams in the NFL. They went from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers and now to Jordan Love. Favre and Rodgers are Hall of Fame quarterbacks (well, Rodgers will be after he retires) and Love is one of the league’s best players right now.
Unfortunately, the Jets haven’t been so lucky when it comes to quarterbacks. The team did have a Hall of Famer in Joe Namath way back in the day. The Alabama product played in New York from 1965 to 1976, leading the team to a Super Bowl III victory.
However, the Jets have struggled mightily to replace “Broadway Joe.” A bunch of disappointing quarterbacks have played for the franchise over the years. Zach Wilson, whom the team drafted second overall in 2021, is a prime example. He turned out to be a major bust, lasting just three seasons with the team. Guys like Sam Darnold and Geno Smith were also busts in New York, but eventually became Pro Bowlers elsewhere.
Favre and Rodgers both wound up having stints with the Jets. Yet, they weren’t the same superstars that they had been in Green Bay. Favre suffered a torn biceps tendon during his lone season with the Jets. Meanwhile, Rodgers went down with an Achilles injury on just his fourth snap with the team.
Signal-callers like Richard Todd, Ken O’Brien, Mark Sanchez, Vinny Testaverde, and Chad Pennington each enjoyed a little bit of success in New York. But none of those guys ever reached Namath’s level.
Why Joe Burrow?
This season, the 3-11 Jets will miss the playoffs for the 15th straight season. The drought is the longest among the four major North American sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL).
Lacking a franchise quarterback is one of the main reasons for that. That’s why trading for Joe Burrow makes sense. He’s undoubtedly one of the top five quarterbacks in the league. He has led the Bengals to a Super Bowl, won five playoff games, and has thrown for nearly 20,000 yards and 150 touchdowns during his career. Plus, he has finished in the top five in MVP voting twice.
Burrow’s five-year, $275 million contract includes a no-trade clause. That means he would have to approve any deal he’s involved in.
It remains to be seen, though, whether he’d approve a trade to the Jets. New York is a fun town and he could easily handle the city’s spotlight and media.
The Jets have a ton of capital in 2026 and 2027 thanks to trading Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. With that said, they could realistically make a big-time offer for Burrow if he becomes available this offseason.
The Jets need Joe Burrow, who could help save the struggling franchise.
Main Image: Mitch Stringer – Imagn Images
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