Aaron

Rodgers

“We’re still in the evaluation mode, so for anybody else who’s going to ask that, I’m going to give you the same answer,” Glenn added. “So don’t waste your time. We clear?” It’s not much of a commitment, but it’s worth noting that the Jets didn’t just wall off the idea of Rodgers coming back entirely. Glenn and new general manager Darren Mougey will have to decide if they can do better than the 41-year-old future Hall of Famer at quarterback in free agency or in the draft. It’s not a high bar to clear after how bad and immobile Rodgers looked in the pocket last year, but it sounds like the Jets are at least going to slowplay the situation a little bit as Glenn and Mougey get onboarded. Owner Woody Johnson also said at Monday’s presser that he would be open to Rodgers returning next season but said that decision will ultimately be up to Glenn and Mougey.

Rapoport also adds that newly minted head coach Aaron Glenn is “open” to the possibility of Rodgers returning to the Jets next season. The 41-year-old quarterback is far from a lock to return to the team next season, but the early optics suggest it could happen. Even if Rodgers does suit up for Gang Green in 2025, it goes without saying that Rodgers isn’t their long-term solution at the position. Currently holding the No. 7 overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, there’s a chance the Jets could find their franchise quarterback in the months to come, while Rodgers serves as a bridge to said QB early in the season. There’s still a lot to be sorted out here, but once what felt like a sure departure between Rodgers and the Jets could be more up in the air than initially believed.

It might be the most obvious statement of the early offseason. Rodgers’ return to the Jets was always going to hinge on what the new general manager and head coach decided. The bigger unknown is where Rodgers stands on his decision to retire or continue playing next season, which he said he remains undecided on. Rodgers took a noticeable step back in his first year back from Achilles surgery, although Father Time also tends to catch up with players by their age 40 season. Rodgers remains under contract with the Jets through next season, but if he wants to continue playing elsewhere, he and the Jets will likely work out a deal that won’t require them to release him for a dead cap hit of over $49 million. This situation remains wait-and-see until the Jets have their new staff and front office in place.

Rodgers threw his 500th career touchdown in Sunday’s win over the Dolphins, as he now heads into yet another offseason with his future in question. The 41-year-old signal-caller took another noticeable step back in 2024, looking more and more like a player who was on the verge of being caught by Father Time. In the right situation, Rodgers may still have something to offer a team as its starting quarterback, although, it seems unlikely that team will be the Jets. While he’s still under contract with the team next season, Rodgers hasn’t exactly shied away from the fact that this season will probably be his last in the Big Apple. While it’s possible the Jets opt to retain him as a bridge to whatever quarterback they bring in next season, things have been so tumultuous during Rodgers’ tenure that a split is probably best for both sides. Rodgers said he will think about his playing future early in the offseason, with plans to decide before NFL free agency kicks off in March. Now, we wait.

In an article published by ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Rodgers joked that he wouldn’t need to go on a darkness retreat before deciding on his NFL future, but Cimini reports that it “sounded as if he’s thinking hard about retirement.” When asked about his future with the Jets, Rodgers said he’s “just more resigned to the reality of the situation,” while acknowledging he thinks a lot of change will be coming to the Jets this offseason. Rodgers and the Jets are a near lock to part ways this offseason, even if he does opt to return for another season. Set to start in the Jets’ season finale against the Dolphins, Week 18 may very well be the last game Rodgers plays as a pro. He needs just one more touchdown pass to become the fifth player in league history to achieve 500-plus passing touchdowns in their career.

Rodgers having perhaps the worst game of his professional career won’t stop the Jets from rolling him out in Week 18 to put the finishing touches on a wildly disappointing season. The NFL’s leader for career sacks taken threw for 112 yards on 18 attempts in Week 17’s loss to the Bills but needs just one more touchdown pass to reach 500 for his career. The decision to start Rodgers doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as he’ll undoubtedly be chasing his 500th career touchdown pass in what may be the final game of his NFL career. Rodgers and the Jets will have a chance to play spoiler to the Dolphins, who kept their playoff hopes alive with a win over the Browns on Sunday.

One more chance to get touchdown No. 500 in a Jets uniform, and one more chance for us all to point and laugh. Rodgers will be a superflex QB2 against the Dolphins in Week 18. It wouldn’t hurt things for Rodgers if the Dolphins found a way to get eliminated from playoff contention before they played that game.

He took four sacks, including one for a safety, and was even called for an unnecessary roughness penalty before being pulled early in the fourth quarter while trailing 40-0. The Jets did Rodgers no favors with their backup tackles in, but he looked genuinely limited, especially when asked to move. An early fourth-down throw saw Rodgers wildly underthrow a wide-open Kenny Yeboah, hitting him in the leg. Rodgers set the NFL’s all-time sack record and remains one touchdown short of 500 for his career, something that might have him playing in a Week 18 tilt with the Dolphins despite nobody really needing to see more of this. He’d be a QB2 if he plays.

Rapoport isn’t stating definitively that Wilson would demand a trade if the Jets were to bring back Aaron Rodgers, he’s reading the tea leaves that many reporters, including himself, have been laying down in recent weeks. There appears to be a clear fractured relationship between the Jets’ 41-year-old quarterback and their 24-year-old budding star receiver. Wilson and Rodgers have not appeared to be on the same page for much of the season, and Wilson’s production has fallen off drastically since the Jets traded for Davante Adams. Given how poor this season went, it seems obvious for the Jets to choose a 24-year-old cost-controlled stud wide receiver over a 41-year-old quarterback on the decline, but that decision may fall to the new head coach and GM, whoever they may be.

The Browns reworked Deshaun Watson’s contract this week, all but guaranteeing his spot on the roster for the 2025 season. However, Rapoport expects them to bring in competition for the struggling quarterback, adding that he wouldn’t be surprised if it comes in the form of a veteran addition. Cousins is set to be released by the Falcons after being benched for rookie quarterback Michael Penix. Rodgers is likely on the way out as well with the Jets set to hire a new general manager and head coach. The fresh faces will almost certainly want a quarterback of their choosing under center, leaving Rodgers looking for a new home once again.