When the New York Jets started courting Aaron Rodgers, the big pitch was promising him something that Green Bay could never give him, autonomy. The Packers tried to appease Rodgers late in his career but ultimately weren’t up for meeting every demand he had for the roster. The Jordan Love pick especially frustrated him because he was not consulted. New York clearly promised him that he would have some roster say, and the team is paying the price for it.
New York Jets Aaron Rodgers Additions
Let it not be said that Rodgers is not a good friend. Coming with Rodgers to New York were wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. Cobb is a longtime friend of the quarterback and was one of the few players that the Packers brought back for Rodgers. Lazard got $22 million guaranteed for his pass-catching and run-blocking services. Adrian Amos came over as well, and Tim Boyle was signed to be the third-string quarterback. None of this seemed too bad at the time, but now these decisions are coming under heavy scrutiny.
Cobb is averaging 4 receiving yards a game, which isn’t shocking for a receiver who is 33 years old. Lazard only has 311 receiving yards and one touchdown in 2023 and was a healthy scratch a couple of weeks ago. Boyle started a couple of games but was cut after not being the answer. Amos was cut as well after he struggled to find playing time. Overall, all of the signings have not just underperformed. They have been a complete disaster.
Achilles Injury Fallout
This New York Jets team was built around Aaron Rodgers. When he went down with an Achilles injury on the fourth play of the season, the immediate reaction was what the Jets would do next. There were plenty of quality quarterbacks out there. While they were nowhere near the caliber of Rodgers, they could at least keep things running while the elite special teams and defense carried the team. Instead, the Jets fell for the idea that Rodgers would have a historic return from the injury and come back in 2023.
Look at what other teams are doing with backup quarterbacks. Jake Browning is keeping the Bengals in the playoff race. Joshua Dobbs won a couple of games for Minnesota. Drew Lock just had a huge upset victory on Monday night football. Joe Flacco is seeing a resurgence with the Browns. A lot of these players were available, but the Jets decided to roll with Zach Wilson and Tim Boyle, hoping they could keep the ship afloat until Rodgers came back. This gamble failed, and the 2023 season was lost.
2024 And Beyond
It’s easy to look at this year and think it was an unlucky season, but there is nothing to be concerned about. Aaron Rodgers will be under center next year and will be very motivated to show off how great his recovery went. The rest of the team will be mostly the same, and they will have a high first-round draft pick to play with. While I like the optimism, there are just as many concerns going into 2024. Can Rodgers still play at a high level? 2022 wasn’t exactly a banner year for the former MVP, so the New York Jets hope that Rodgers can capture his 2021 magic.
This is where the autonomy conversation has to come in. Rodgers mentioned on the Pat McAfee Show that he would love to help with personnel decisions if he was wanted. This feels like code for “I expect to be involved in personnel decisions.” Rodgers has shown zero talent for roster construction and a lot of talent for helping his friends. While this quality is admirable, it isn’t a great roster-building strategy. What if Rodgers demands a first-round wide receiver when the Jets could desperately use an offensive lineman? When an organization is doing everything to placate one player, it likely isn’t going to end well.
Nothing Is Guaranteed In The NFL
In the NFL, we like to think that certain teams will be what they will always be. However, we know that doesn’t always happen. A top-five defense this year can slip the following. A player who has a career year one year may regress the next. Wasting a year of someone’s rookie contract may affect how long the championship window is open. To think that the 2024 New York Jets are the exact same as the 2023 New York Jets, just with a full year of Aaron Rodgers, is foolish.
You know what else isn’t guaranteed in the NFL? Health. Heaven forbid that this happens, but Rodgers could very easily get injured next year. We’d like to think that an injury will only cost him 2023, but it could very well cost him games in 2024 and beyond. It wouldn’t have to be Rodgers, either. Again, I’m not hoping for this, but key players on either side of the ball could have injuries next year when they had healthy seasons in 2023. Nothing is guaranteed.
Did They Make The Right Move?
When the trade was made, I thought it was the right move for the Jets and the Packers. Ultimately, it would all come down to what each quarterback did. The Packers were panned for getting rid of their quarterback and moving on with the unknown Jordan Love and a bunch of rookies. They were going to feel the loss of those pieces. However, the offense got better. This year’s offense looks better than last year’s. What is even more crazy is the stats of Rodgers last year versus Love this year. Let’s see if you can figure out which is which.
Player A: 64.6 completion percentage, 3,695 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 12 interceptions,
Player B: 62.6 completion percentage, 3,368 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions
One of those players is Love through 15 weeks, and the other is Aaron Rodgers in 2022. They are almost identical stat lines, and Love still has three games to play. Player A is Rodgers, and Player B is Love. With a couple of good games, Love will finish with more passing yards and more touchdowns than Rodgers. If he can stay interception-free, he will also have fewer picks. It seems the Packers moved on at the right time.
At this point, it is hard to know whether they ultimately made the right move. If Aaron Rodgers comes out next year and lights up the field, taking the Jets to the playoffs and a Super Bowl win, it is a success. However, if we see a regressing 40-year-old quarterback struggle to get the New York Jets to the playoffs, there are going to be a lot of questions. A lot has to go right to win a Super Bowl, and the Jets have allowed Rodgers to construct a House of Cards team. If one piece, especially Rodgers, is removed, the whole thing crumbles. The Jets have to hope that doesn’t happen again in 2024.
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