The New York Jets may have entered the 2024 NFL season in win-now mode, but with six weeks left to play, they completely reversed course, triggering a total demolition. Head coach Robert Saleh was the first to go back in October, and on Tuesday, increasingly impatient owner Woody Johnson went even further, firing general manager Joe Douglaswho was set to have his contract expire after the season anyway.
It’s natural to wonder if Aaron Rodgers, the prized acquisition of the Saleh-Douglas regime, and the literal quarterback of this sinking ship, will be the next departure. Johnson allowed Douglas to do everything in his power to accommodate the former MVP, including acquiring old friend Davante Adams just weeks ago. But the owner is said to be too looked to have Rodgers on the bench after just four games this year, suggesting he will be ripe for a reset, especially since the Jets can save money by releasing Rodgers this offseason.
Is it possible that Johnson will reconsider, and perhaps double down on Rodgers as an immediate response, building around the quarterback’s preferences in the search for a new coach and general manager? Certainly. The Jets, after all, aren’t exactly a model of sound process. In the event that they move on, likely designating Rodgers after June 1, these teams could be potential landing spots:
There may not be a team more desperate for something — anything — at quarterback, and throughout 2025 NFL Draft figures to be their first priority to address the position, who says they could not double? With more than a whopping $100 million in projected cap space, they also have the money to make big investments up front and outfield, where Rodgers would presumably require upgrades. Would Davante Adams’ sour experience in Las Vegas prevent A-Rod from trying his own hand in Sin City? Maybe. But Rodgers may not have many alternatives, and Raiders coach Antonio Pierce could earn his respect as a former NFL colleague and California native. Star rookie tight end Brock Bowers is another draw.
Aside from the storybook parallels to Brett Favre, who also went from Packers legend to Jets and Vikings rental to close out his career, this one registers as sneakily believable. The Vikings would certainly prefer to re-sign current starter Sam Darnold, who has done quite well under Kevin O’Connell, but what if Darnold opts for a higher-paying gig in 2025 free agency, confidence restored, ready to leave the looming shadow of first-round pick JJ McCarthy? Minnesota would still want a replacement as McCarthy returns from knee surgery, and Rodgers would get a lineup ready with the best offensive line, skill weapons and defense he’s had in years. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was in the San Francisco 49ers’ office when the Niners reportedly tried to land Rodgers in 2021, and he would also bet on the revenge factor, allowing Rodgers to play the Packers at least twice.
After nearly two seasons with Will Levis at quarterback, the Titans may still be unsure of what they have in the former secondary — so much so that the talented but erratic gun could benefit from a bench seat. With veteran skill weapons, including Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley, a solid defense, a highly winnable division, over $65 million in projected salary cap space and an offensively geared head coach in Brian Callahan they could be one of the few teams with apparent ability. quarterback need and enough proven talent to lure Rodgers at this stage of his career. Like Adofo-Mensah in Minnesota, general manager Ran Carthon was also part of the 49ers regime that looked at a possible Rodgers trade years ago.
1. Isolation
Let’s face it: If Rodgers doesn’t come back for a third season with the Jets, he probably won’t come back at all. In some ways, it took great effort for the one-time star to even leave the Green Bay Packers in 2023. Moreover, New York is specifically where he wanted to be. The subsequent service of the Jets to his every wish, pouring resources into ex-Packers allies like Nathaniel Hackett and Allen Lazard, confirmed that. It’s one thing to start over. It’s another to do it at age 41, coming off back-to-back injury-riddled seasons, and likely for a team that either won’t want to shoulder their power level or isn’t properly equipped to make a title run. Rodgers may want a celebratory send-off, but like Tom Brady after his lackluster finals, he may realize that time has simply passed, calling it a career rather than subjecting himself to further turmoil.
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