Aaron Rodgers

Jets’ Aaron Rodgers Resumes Throwing

October 17th, 2023 at 10:54am CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets pulled off one of the season’s most noteworthy upsets in Week 6 with a win over the Eagles, but a signficant development took place before kickoff. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers took part in a throwing session with Jets personnel, as detailed by Andy Vasquez of NJ.com.

Rodgers was not on crutches and planted on his left foot – the one in which he suffered a torn Achilles four snaps into the campaign – while throwing. That came 32 days after he underwent surgery to repair the injury, one which is traditionally seen as being season-ending. The 39-year-old has expressed a plan to return in time for the end of the 2023 season, however, and Sunday’s development marked another noteworthy step in his recovery.

Foregoing the traditional procedure used to repair Achilles tears, Rodgers’ surgery consisted of a ‘speed bridge‘ being used. That relatively new technique carries the potential for players to return to action much quicker than in previous years, and has helped lead to speculation Rodgers could follow through on his goal of recovering in time for the playoffs. It remains to be seen how the Jets will fare through the remainder of the remainder of the season, though, which will no doubt inform his chances of suiting up in the intermediate future.

Head coach Robert Saleh has remained firmly committed to backup Zach Wilson, and the Jets have not made inquiries into many veteran passers. Indeed, only Tim Boyle has been added to date, with Wilson showing signs of improvement in recent weeks. New York has won two straight games while still leaning heavily on its defense and Breece Hall-led run game, bringing the team’s record to 3-3. Plenty of work remains to be done to put the Jets in playoff contention, but a scenario where Rodgers (whom ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes remained on the sidelines and in communication with the team’s coaching staff on Sunday) is able to return could be in play down the road.

“I’m one of those guys searching, like, ‘Is he supposed to do this?'” Saleh said during a Good Morning Football appearance. “I’ve coached Richard Sherman, who was coming off his Achilles. I’ve got friends who have had Achilles injuries, and what he’s doing, according to them, is absolutely ridiculous. For him to be walking already, I wouldn’t put anything past him… He is willing himself to return faster than what you’re supposed to be.

“We’re leaving the door open for him but it’s amazing to see how hard he’s been working and the intent at which he’s been doing it” (h/t NFL.com’s Kevin Patra).

Rodgers agreed to a reworked contract before the start of the season which saw him take a substantial pay cut in terms of guaranteed money he was initially due. He is still in line to earn $38MM next season, however, and he has expressed a willingness to play at least two seasons in New York. That goal hit a massive roadblock in Week 1, but the four-time MVP continues to make progress in his rehab process which could allow him to see the field before the 2024 season.

Jets Have Contacted Only Chad Henne, Colt McCoy; Latest On Aaron Rodgers’ Recovery

September 17th, 2023 at 10:06pm CST by Rory Parks

The Jets are 1-1 and reeling from Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles injury, which ended the future Hall of Famer’s season after four snaps and thrust Zach Wilson back into the starting lineup. We heard in the immediate aftermath of the Rodgers news that New York was exploring the free agent market for veteran passers and had inquired on retired QB Chad Henne.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) confirms that the Jets have indeed reached out to Henne, who has rebuffed their overtures. “The timing doesn’t work,” Henne said.

Gang Green has also contacted Colt McCoy, who was released by the Cardinals on cutdown day and who was mentioned as a possible Jets target several days ago. McCoy, 37, indicated that he has several offers in hand and expects to sign with a club shortly. He had been dealing with an elbow injury, though he should be ready to play this week.

The Jets told both Henne and McCoy that if they were to sign with the team, they would be doing so with the understanding that Wilson is the starter. As a team source told Russini, “[w]e have Zach. Zach Wilson is our best option.”

Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was pleased with what Wilson was able to do when he was forced to enter the team’s Week 1 contest against the Bills in relief of Rodgers, and Hackett was also impressed by the progress Wilson made throughout the spring and summer. Wilson appears to have earned the trust of the locker room, with another team source telling Russini that Wilson’s character is “off the charts.” The team has changed “about half of the game plan” to play to Wilson’s strengths, including an overall simplification of the offense.

The organizational view on Wilson explains why, as Russini reports, the Jets have no plans to pursue a more accomplished signal-caller like Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, or Joe Flacco (Blake Bortles is reportedly not under consideration either). As Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report, Brady’s purchase of a stake in the Raiders is not yet finalized and is unlikely to be finalized until October at the earliest. Until then, Brady can techincally sign with any team he chooses, but as we noted previously, he continues to insist that he will remain retired.

Rich Cimini of ESPN.com suggests that the Jets, who have the league’s most difficult strength of schedule over the next five games, could reassess the situation over their Week 7 bye. If they are still in playoff position but feel Wilson is holding them back, they could expand their QB search at that time.

Rodgers, of course, has not closed the door on an in-season return. The reason for such optimism, as Rapoport and Pelissero explain in a separate piece, is that Rodgers underwent an innovative surgery to accelerate the rehabilitation process.

The NFL.com duo, building on an earlier report from Russini and The Athletic colleague Jourdan Rodrigue (subscription required), say that a type of internal brace called a “speed bridge” was placed on Rodgers’ torn Achilles. The procedure, which was performed by well-known orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, could allow Rodgers to be back on the field right around the time the postseason begins.

The procedure does involve risk, but Rodgers determined that the possibility of helping his new club make a playoff run this season was worth taking a chance. The 39-year-old (40 in December) could also receive platelet-rich plasma injections to move his recovery along.

Jets’ First- And Second-Round Picks In “Escrow”

September 16th, 2023 at 10:05pm CST by Ben Levine

The Packers are destined to eventually receive a second-round pick from the Jets following Aaron Rodgers‘ season-ending injury. However, thanks to some specific language in the trade agreement, New York’s first-round pick will likely be locked until the end of the 2023 season.

As sources explained to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, “conditions of the trade have not yet been met.” Specifically, the Packers sought and were granted terms that would protect them in the unlikely event that Rodgers was released or traded by New York. This condition technically can’t be determined until the end of the 2023 campaign, thus putting both the Jets’ 2024 first- and second-round picks in “escrow.”

The original trade terms required Rodgers to play in at least 65 percent of New York’s offensive snaps in order for the Packers to receive a 2024 first-round pick. The teams could have accounted for a season-ending injury in the trade terms, but the Packers were preparing for the Jets’ worst-case scenario.

As Jones observes, Green Bay’s request likely stems from the organization’s previous QB trade with the Jets. When the Packers traded Brett Favre to New York, the team thought they were also preventing the quarterback from eventually landing in the NFC North. Specifically, Green Bay included a clause that would have forced the Jets to give up three first-round picks if they dealt Favre to an NFC North team.

Favre briefly retired after only one season in New York, and the Jets ended up cutting him during the offseason. He was later scooped up by the Vikings, and since a free agent hypothetical wasn’t included in the trade terms, the Packers didn’t receive any compensation. As Jones notes, the NFL abolished these “poison pill” provisions in the 2011 CBA. The organization’s most-recent tactic fit under the league’s current rules, and while the terms would have done little to ultimately impact the compensation, the provision is still having an impact on New York’s trade ability.

The league doesn’t allow teams to trade future selections that aren’t under their full control. As Jones notes, the Jets could only trade their first-round selection if they add a condition on top of the current Packers’ restrictions. The Jets could also approach the Packers about revising the original terms of the deal.

Of course, considering how deep the Jets’ roster is, the only scenario where the Jets would even consider trading their 2024 first-round pick would be if a franchise-altering QB became available. The team sounds committed to Zach Wilson for the 2023 campaign, and Rodgers has left the door open for a 2024 comeback (or even a 2023 return). Still, it’s an important situation to watch when the trade market soon heats up.

Aaron Rodgers Does Not Close Door On In-Season Return; Jets Have Not Called 49ers On Sam Darnold

September 15th, 2023 at 10:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Suffering a ruptured Achilles four plays into his Jets tenure, Aaron Rodgers underwent surgery this week. The four-time MVP was close to retiring before joining the Jets, but he offered a clue into his post-2023 plans shortly after the injury. Early signs point to Rodgers playing in 2024.

Rodgers still did not slam the door shut on a question Friday about returning this season, in the event the Jets make the playoffs. While the 39-year-old passer refused to put a timetable on his comeback effort, he included a Kevin Garnett/”anything is possible” reference — in response to a question about coming back in the postseason — during his latest Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link).

“It doesn’t do any good to make prognostications, other than help my own mental state, but yeah, I’m gonna try and push this thing as much as it’ll allow me to,” Rodgers said. “There’s markers I’ve gotta see — where I’m at after a week and two weeks and a month and two months — and then we’ll see what the conversation is from there.”

Players have returned months after Achilles injuries in the not-so-distant past. Terrell Suggs and Michael Crabtree came back from their maladies — in 2012 and 2013, respectively — during the regular season. Of course, the Ravens linebacker and 49ers wide receiver both went down in May. Suggs returned Oct. 21; Crabtree was back Dec. 1. Cam Akers suffered an Achilles tear in July 2021; he returned in time for the Rams’ Week 18 game that season. Of course, Akers was not effective upon coming back that year.

Rodgers is considerably older than this trio at the time of injury, and it would be shocking if he became a realistic candidate to come back this season. It certainly says a lot about his change in mindset upon being traded that he would go from being “90% retired” to considering a radical comeback in the event the Jets made the playoffs — or advanced deep into the postseason.

“Give me the doubts, give me the timetables, give me all the things that you think can, should or will happen, because all I need is that one little extra percent of inspiration,” Rodgers said. “That’s all I need. So, give me your doubts, give me your prognostications and then watch what I do.”

The Jets have not signed a quarterback to fill out their depth chart. Although Zach Wilson underwhelmed to the point the Jets benched him and then charted an aggressive course to add a veteran, the team has attempted to throw its support behind the former No. 2 overall pick as a starter. Ex-Rodgers Packers backup Tim Boyle is in place as Wilson’s backup ahead of Week 2. The Jets have been connected to Colt McCoy, Brett Rypien and the recently retired Chad Henne in the wake of Rodgers’ injury. McCoy remains a free agent, and no indications have emerged Henne would unretire if asked to do so. The Rams bumped Rypien to their 53-man roster to prevent a potential Jets poaching, but CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson indicates Gang Green’s Rypien interest was not believed to be serious.

On another front, John Lynch said Friday (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Can Inman) the 49ers did not receive a call from the Jets on Sam Darnold. With the 49ers trading Trey Lance to the Cowboys last month, trading Darnold back to the Jets would seemingly be a nonstarter for a team that has dealt with a number of QB injuries in recent years. The Jets made the decision to trade their three-year starter in 2021 and draft Wilson in 2021, collecting second-, fourth- and sixth-round picks from the Panthers.

Jets Notes: Rodgers, Whitehead, Mosley

September 14th, 2023 at 8:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Aaron Rodgers underwent surgery on his torn Achilles in Los Angeles yesterday, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Jets quarterback posted on Instagram that the surgery “went great” and he’s “on the road to recovery.”

While Rodgers is now focused on his rehab, the fallout from the future Hall of Famer’s season-ending injury continues. According to Dianna Russini and Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, Rodgers was not a fan of the play calls that involved cut blocks, and he voiced his displeasure to the coaching staff. Two of the QB’s four snaps on Monday night involved the cut block, including the play that injured Rodgers.

Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari, who spent years blocking for Rodgers, also noticed the team’s peculiar blocking strategy.

“I blocked for Aaron for a decade,” Packers offensive tackle David Bakhtiari told The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. “I’ve gotten a lot of s— from him about cutting and pretty much the rule of thumb, at least working with him, is you don’t cut unless Aaron says so in the huddle or at the line of scrimmage. And that’s no dig at Aaron. … When people were defending and saying that’s what they’re supposed to do, I was like: Well, clearly there’s miscommunication. Because if your coach is telling you to do that, then he doesn’t know Aaron. And I know for a fact, Aaron definitely has probably brought it up. So I’m like: You’re not all on the same page. Again, that’s not the reason why (the sack) happened. There’s so many other factors.”

Blame has also been placed on MetLife Stadium’s turf. Michael Rosenberg of SI.com spoke to three experts on Achilles tendons, and while they acknowledged that turf could certainly cause injuries, it’s unlikely to cause this type of injury.

More notes out of New York…

Jordan Whitehead was a standout in Week 1 for the Jets, with his performance earning him AFC Defensive Player of the Week. The safety also managed to secure one of his season-long incentives in just one game, with his three interceptions earning him a $250K bonus, per ESPN’s Field Yates. Whitehead signed a two-year, $14.5MM deal with the Jets last March.
As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes, Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley had his $17MM non-guaranteed salary locked in during the season opener. After being limited to only two games during his first season with the Jets, Mosley has emerged as a defensive leader in New York over the past two seasons, collecting 326 tackles in 33 games. The veteran inked a five-year, $85MM deal with the Jets back in 2019.
While the Jets continue to scour the market for some reinforcement at quarterback, Zach Wilson will be the definitive QB1 moving forward. While Rodgers will be sidelined for the entire 2023 campaign, the veteran quarterback still had a lasting impact on his younger counterpart. “I feel like I’ve been trying to copy every little thing he’s doing, from his footwork to the coaching tips he has given us,” Wilson said today (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “He’s done an amazing job, more than we could ask for as quarterbacks.”

Aaron Rodgers: ‘I Shall Rise Yet Again’

September 13th, 2023 at 10:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2023 NFL season took an unexpected turn when Aaron Rodgers‘ debut season with the Jets was cut short by an Achilles tear. Questions have since been raised about his playing future, but he hinted at an answer in that regard on Wednesday.

Rodgers took to Instagram to make his first public remarks about his injury suffered early in Monday night’s win over the Bills. In his post, he expressed appreciation for the support he has received since the diagnosis of a torn Achilles was confirmed Tuesday and pointed to a return to the field next year – something head coach Robert Saleh named as an expected course of action earlier today.

“I’m completely heartbroken and moving through all of the emotions, but deeply touched and humbled by the support and love,” Rodgers wrote. “Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I begin the healing process today. The night is darkest before the dawn. And I shall rise yet again.”

The latter sentence suggests the four-time MVP is planning to rehab in time for the 2024 season and in doing so continue his Jets tenure. One more year (in essence) remains on his reworked contract, and he previously stated a desire to play at least a pair of seasons in the Big Apple. Signficant changes in circumstances – such as the team winning the Super Bowl or, as has turned out to be the case, a massive injury – had the potential to change his career outlook, however.

Rodgers is due just over $38MM in 2024, giving him plenty of motivation to return to the field. He will be 40 by the time next season begins, the earliest point at which he will have recovered in full, though. As he rehab progresses, questions will no doubt linger about his ability to regain his previous Hall of Fame form following the arduous process Achilles tears require. If his initial remarks are any indication, however, Rodgers can be expected to at least attempt a return to the field.

On a specific note regarding the season-altering injury, Zack Rosenblatt and Dianna Russini of The Athletic report that Rodgers was unhappy with play calls that involved cut blocks by the team’s offensive linemen. Two such plays were run during his four-snap participation on Monday, including the play in which a missed block by left tackle Duane Brown led to the fateful Leonard Floyd sack. Attention will be paid to the Jets’ offensive scheme next year if Rodgers is able to return, something he appears to planning on doing.

Jets In Discussions With Free Agent QBs; Team To Start Zach Wilson

September 13th, 2023 at 11:37am CST by Sam Robinson

SEPTEMBER 13: The Jets are unlikely to add a quarterback this week, Cimini tweets. As they prepare to face a top-tier Cowboys defense, the Jets are gearing up to head into that game with a Wilson-Boyle depth chart. While Saleh said he would he “shocked” if Rodgers retired after this injury, Cimini adds, the eventual first-ballot Canton inductee is out of the picture until 2024. No surgery date has emerged yet.

SEPTEMBER 12: Aaron Rodgers‘ historically short cameo this season leaves the Jets back with Zach Wilson as their starting quarterback. Although the team aggressively chased veteran passers — in a search that produced Rodgers — this offseason to avoid Wilson returning as QB1, the future Hall of Famer’s Achilles tear leaves the much-hyped team scrambling.

While Wilson is back in place atop the Jets’ depth chart, team brass is meeting to discuss options at the position. The team has already begun to reach out to free agent signal-callers, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets. As should be expected, representatives for a number of free agent options have contacted the Jets, Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager adds. The Jets are only planning for an outside addition to fill out the QB room, with Robert Saleh clarifying Wilson will be the starter.

“I want to make it very clear: Zach’s our quarterback,” Saleh said, via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. “We have a lot of faith in Zach. We’re rolling with Zach and excited for him. … Under no circumstances is any of this a competition. This is Zach’s team and we’re rolling with Zach.”

Former Rodgers Green Bay backup Tim Boyle is the only other QB with the Jets presently, and Saleh confirmed he will become the backup. The team let Mike White walk in free agency; the two-year Jets spot starter who eventually moved past Wilson on the depth chart is now Tua Tagovailoa‘s Dolphins backup. Joe Flacco was part of the Jets’ QB room for three seasons, including Saleh’s first two. The former Super Bowl MVP has expressed interest in continuing his career, and ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes the 15-year veteran is interested in coming back. Nothing has transpired on this front just yet, however, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Flacco, 38, would seemingly be an option, though the Mike LaFleur-to-Nathaniel Hackett switch may be a hurdle here. But GM Joe Douglas having brought in Flacco, whom he worked while a scout with in Baltimore, would count in the ex-Ravens cornerstone’s favor. Douglas was also with the Eagles when they traded up for Carson Wentz and during Nick Foles‘ second stint with the team.

Three teams have jettisoned Wentz over the past three offseasons; the former No. 2 overall pick has been working out preparing for another opportunity since his Commanders exit. The Colts cut Foles, 34, in May. Neither has been tied to a team since their respective releases. At this juncture, both would qualify as logical emergency options. Wentz would represent the better chance to replace Wilson, having been a starter throughout his career. Colt McCoy, whom the Cardinals recently released, is also unattached. McCoy came up as a potential Patriots option but has not signed with a team since his Arizona exit.

The team has inquired about Chad Henne, per Schultz. The four-year Chiefs backup retired after Super Bowl LVII, but he has worked in Hackett’s system before. Henne’s time with the Jaguars overlapped with Hackett’s. Hackett coached Henne from 2016-18, working as Jacksonville’s OC. Henne turned 38 shortly after his retirement announcement.

Colin Kaepernick‘s agent has reached out to the Jets as well, The Score’s Jordan Schultz tweets. While Saleh and Kaepernick technically overlapped with the 49ers, that brief period did not involve any game action. The 49ers were set to release the polarizing passer had he not opted out of his contract in March 2017; that sequence came less than a month after Kyle Shanahan hired Saleh. Despite having not played since the 2016 season, the exiled QB has continued to work out in hopes of resuming his career. Considering how long it has been since Kaepernick played in the NFL, he is not a realistic option at this point.

The 49ers were prepared to pull Philip Rivers out of a multiyear retirement in February, had they somehow upended the Eagles after Brock Purdy‘s injury and advanced to Super Bowl LVII. The former Chargers great is now 41. Matt Ryan did not close the door on returning, but the 2022 Colts starter is now at CBS and did not show good form last season.

Tom Brady collected his seventh Super Bowl ring by joining a team with a talented defense and young skill-position talents. Unlike Brady retirement No. 1, the all-time great is a free agent. The 46-year-old icon has said repeatedly this year he is done, and while this would be an intriguing opportunity for a quarterback who was open to playing an age-46 season late last year, SI.com’s Albert Breer views each of the longtime starters as unlikely options.

Rodgers’ injury development is eerily similar to the one that wrecked the Jets’ 1999 season. Following an AFC championship game berth, the Jets lost starter Vinny Testaverde to an Achilles tear in Week 1 of the ’99 campaign. The team used former No. 2 overall pick Rick Mirer, who had washed out with the Seahawks, as its starter soon after. Mirer had arrived via trade that August. The team eventually benched Mirer for mobile third-stringer Ray Lucas, who ended up starting nine games that year. The Jets finished 8-8 in Bill Parcells‘ third and final year at the helm; Testaverde returned to retake the reins in 2000.

Wilson struggled mightily last season and ended up being benched for White midway through. Issues in the locker room were rumored to have contributed to the benching. Although Wilson ended up moving back into the backup role to fill in for an injured White in Week 16, a woeful showing against the Jaguars cemented the Jets’ pursuit of veteran options this offseason. The team resisted on adding a veteran backup behind Rodgers, with the trade rumors surrounding Wilson ending up unfounded. The former No. 2 pick is awkwardly back in the Jets’ top spot, but it will be interesting to see if a starter-caliber veteran arrives and eventually pushes the underwhelming investment for playing time.

Jets’ Aaron Rodgers Suffers Achilles Tear

September 12th, 2023 at 3:29pm CST by Adam La Rose

3:29pm: As expected, Rodgers is now on the Jets’ IR list. Saleh confirmed Tuesday afternoon the future Hall of Famer will require surgery. Although the Jets are in discussions with free agents — Chad Henne among them — the third-year HC made it clear Wilson is the unquestioned starter.

10:04am: The Jets’ worst fears regarding Aaron Rodgers have been confirmed. An MRI revealed on Tuesday that he has indeed suffered a torn Achilles, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes. His season is over as a result.

Rodgers exited his regular season Jets debut after just four snaps, and it was learned shortly thereafter that an Achilles tear was the expected diagnosis. With that now having been confirmed, New York is poised to move forward with Zach Wilson at the helm of an offense which was expected to take a dramatic step forward in 2023. Rodgers’ performance was set to play a major role in that improvement, but much will now depend on Wilson’s ability to rebound from his previous struggles.

SI’s Albert Breer notes that Jets decision-makers are set to meet today discuss their plans going forward at the QB position. At least a depth addition will be required with Rodgers headed to injured reserve, but head coach Robert Saleh confirmed after last night’s game that Wilson is in line to serve as the starter moving forward. The latter will be tasked with keeping the Jets (a team with Super Bowl aspirations in 2023) competitive with the help of an impressive skill-position corps and a strong defense.

Rodgers, 39, was the subject of considerable speculation regarding his future with the Packers this offseason. After giving serious thought to retirement, he ultimately went public with his intention of continuing his career with the Jets, a team which devoted much of its efforts to creating familiarity on the field and the sidelines for the four-time MVP. After the blockbuster trade sending him to New York was finalized, Rodgers and the Jets became the central storyline around the league entering the 2023 campaign.

The Jets’ package sent to Green Bay to acquire Rodgers included a conditional 2024 draft pick. That selection would have been a first-rounder had the 10-time Pro Bowler logged a snap share of at least 65%, but that will not be the case given the news of his injury. As a result, New York will send a second-rounder to the Packers as the former team contemplates its long-term future under center next spring.

Rodgers initially declined to make a commitment to playing beyond 2023, but his decision to take a $35MM pay cut over the remainder of his contract suggested he was willing to remain in place for at least a few years. He said as much in August, though he admitted that unforeseen developments could alter his thinking with respect to continuing his career. A massive injury such as this one would certainly qualify in that regard.

Attention will turn to Rodgers’ ability to rehab his Achilles, a process which could threaten his ability to return to full health given his age and the severity of the injury. Questions will be raised regarding whether or not Monday’s contest will represent the final one of his decorated career. For time being, though, the Jets will need to proceed with Wilson and Tim Boyle (who is currently on the practice squad) as the organization’s top passers. Who they target as an addition via trade or free agency will be worth watching closely.

Jets Fear Aaron Rodgers Suffered ‘Significant’ Achilles Injury

September 11th, 2023 at 11:59pm CST by Ely Allen

11:59pm: Robert Saleh confirmed the team fears its recently acquired quarterback suffered a “significant” Achilles injury. Rodgers took four snaps before suffering what could well be a season-ending injury. Although the Jets came back to defeat the Bills with Wilson at the controls, the main focus is understandably on Rodgers’ status.

“The MRI is probably going to confirm what we think is going to happen, so prayers tonight,” Saleh said, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “But it’s not good.”

Rodgers, 39, said in March he strongly considered retiring before reversing course and announcing his intention to play for the Jets. The Packers sent him to New York in a blockbuster trade, one that involved a conditional 2024 draft choice going to Green Bay. Rodgers failing to play 65% of the Jets’ offensive snaps this season would reduce the Packers’ 2024 compensation to a second-round pick, rather than a first.

For the Jets, the immediate damage could obviously be massive. Riding the NFL’s longest active playoff drought, the Jets entered the season with tremendous optimism due to the Rodgers acquisition. While Rodgers has missed chunks of a season in the past — 2013, 2017 — this would be a new chapter and deal a crushing blow to the snake-bitten franchise that traded for him.

10:09pm: Aaron Rodgers‘ debut in New York lasted all of four offensive snaps before he was helped off the field with an apparent ankle injury. Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported as a cart came to take Rodgers to the locker room for X-rays in an air-cast. Ultimately, while X-rays were reportedly negative, according to ESPN’s Field Yates, Rodgers was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

It’s unclear for now what the official diagnosis of the injury will be. Since X-rays don’t show soft tissue, one can assume they were looking for broken bones in the foot or ankle. Any broken bones would likely take several weeks to heal, but negative X-rays are a good sign. A fear exists, however, Rodgers is dealing with an Achilles injury, The Score’s Jordan Schultz reports.

With Rodgers out of the game, the Jets called on third-year quarterback Zach Wilson, who started 22 games over the first two years of his career. After amassing a 3-10 record as a rookie starter, Wilson had to come back from injury to start in his sophomore season. Although he was able to reach a record of 5-4 last year, he ended up getting demoted to third-string behind Mike White and Joe Flacco. He eventually made his way back to the field before getting benched once again in favor of Chris Streveler.

With White now in Miami and Flacco and Streveler no longer on the roster, Wilson once again becomes the go-to guy in New York. He’ll be forced to run a Rodgers-centric system for the remainder of tonight, and many in New York will be hoping that Rodgers can escape a serious injury and make it back to the field before long.

Jets Notes: Rodgers, Stafford, Hall, Cook

September 10th, 2023 at 10:16am CST by Rory Parks

The Jets debut of quarterback Aaron Rodgers is one of the most-anticipated aspects of the Week 1 slate. As we wait for the future Hall-of-Famer to take the field for the first Monday Night Football game of the season, here are a few Gang Green-related items:

Speaking of Rodgers, his voluntary $35MM pay cut has allowed the Jets to enter the 2023 season with over $20MM in cap space, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. GM Joe Douglas confirmed to reporters, including Cimini, that Rodgers agreed to the reduction in pay with the tacit understanding that the funds will be used to supplement the roster. “It’s almost like an unspoken thing,” Douglas said. “You know if you’re doing this, there’s a reason why he’s doing this. So it’s going to give us great flexibility moving forward.”
Before it became clear that Rodgers would continue his playing career, the Jets inquired on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Los Angeles, however, insisted that it was not trading Stafford, so the conversations did not gain much traction. We recently heard that the Rams made a concerted effort to deal Stafford before they were required to pick up his 2023 option bonus and 2024 salary this offseason, but team brass subsquently said that while other clubs asked about the veteran passer, the Rams were not actively shopping him.
Both of the Jets’ top RBs, Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook, will play against the Bills on Monday night, though the team will be “prudent with their usage” (Twitter link via Cimini). Hall, of course, saw his promising rookie campaign cut short by an ACL tear last October, and Cook was just acquired less than a month ago. As the season goes on, the club will rely heavily on both players to support its Rodgers-led passing attack.
Some of the money freed up by Rodgers’ aforementioned largesse could go towards more receiving talent for the QB; Bucs’ WR Mike Evans has been floated as a possible trade target, and the Jets recently worked out free agent receiver Kenny Golladay.

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