NEW ORLEANS — The Aaron Rodgers Period with the Jets is seemingly over.
Fox sports activities insider Jay Glazer reported that Rodgers met with the Jets final week in New Jersey and was informed that the crew is transferring on from him.
This isn’t a shock. Issues have been trending this fashion for months with the Jets making a change at basic supervisor and head coach. New GM Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn didn’t say a lot about Rodgers at their introductory press convention and that silence was telling.
It has been believed for some time that the crew would transfer on from Rodgers. It will be tough for Glenn to determine a brand new program with the 41-year-old Rodgers having such an enormous presence contained in the group.
It’s unclear if Rodgers desires to maintain taking part in, however the truth that he flew again to New Jersey to have the dialogue signifies he’s nonetheless contemplating it. Rodgers might transfer to a different crew or he might retire.
All of it’s a disappointing ending to the blockbuster commerce the Jets made with the Packers in April 2023 to land Rodgers. The four-time MVP supplied hope to a Jets franchise that appears to be conducting a unending seek for a franchise quarterback.
Rodgers’ first season with the Jets started with a lot fanfare with “Arduous Knocks” cameras in coaching camp and an electrical introduction earlier than their Week 1 sport towards the Payments on “Monday Evening Soccer.”
All of it got here crashing down 4 performs into that sport, although, when he tore the Achilles tendon in his left ankle.
The Jets struggled with Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian taking turns making an attempt to interchange Rodgers, who held out hope of returning in December if the Jets had been in competition. They weren’t, although, and he didn’t play once more in 2023. The Jets completed 7-10, ratcheting up the stress on everybody going into 2024.
Rodgers was capable of keep wholesome this season, beginning all 17 video games however his play was uneven. Leg accidents hindered his play for an extended stretch of the season and he struggled to seek out chemistry with younger stars Garrett Wilson and Breece Corridor. Rodgers ended up throwing for 3,897 yards, 28 landing passes and 11 interceptions, very respectable numbers, however the crew went simply 5-12. Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas, the coach and GM who introduced Rodgers to the Jets, had been fired in October and November, respectively.
Past what Rodgers did on the sector, there was at all times one thing happening off the sector and that have to be a part of this choice, too. Rodgers appeared on “The Pat McAfee Present” weekly and infrequently made headlines together with his views on vaccines or a feud with late night time host Jimmy Kimmel. In March, Rodgers was reportedly into account to be Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vp, which then sparked a CNN story about Rodgers being a Sandy Hook denier, which he stated was unfaithful.
Rodgers then failed to seem at June’s obligatory minicamp, selecting to make a journey to Egypt as a substitute. Through the season, Rodgers appeared to take pictures at proprietor Woody Johnson concerning the timing of the Saleh firing 5 video games into the season. He identified that robust franchises help their coaches, utilizing the Lions for example. He later joked on McAfee that he had by no means been minimize by a youngster, a reference to the concept Johnson’s teenaged sons have energy contained in the Jets.
By chopping him, the Jets will incur a $49 million lifeless cash cost this season, until they designated it as a post-June 1 minimize. In the event that they go the post-June 1 route, they’ll unfold the hit over two years — $14 million in 2025 and $35 million in 2026. Glenn and Mougey could wish to eat the entire cash in Yr 1 of their time with the Jets. So far as money, the Jets don’t owe Rodgers any extra assured cash.
The Rodgers transfer is the primary large one of many Jets offseason. It additionally makes a launch of large receiver Davante Adams and his $35.6 million wage doubtless. The Jets traded for Adams in October to reunite him with Rodgers. It’s arduous to see any future Adams has, or would need, with the Jets with out Rodgers.
