Jets make Aaron Rodgers breakup official — and clarify why they dumped him
It’s official. The Jets want a brand new quarterback.
The staff introduced Thursday it has knowledgeable Aaron Rodgers it’s shifting in a distinct course.
The transfer has been anticipated for some time, with the Jets making a change at coach and basic supervisor this offseason, and Fox Sports activities reporting Sunday that the Jets had knowledgeable Rodgers they had been shifting on in a face-to-face assembly final week.
The transfer ends a disappointing chapter for the Jets and Rodgers, who got here to the franchise in a commerce in 2023 with loads of hope hooked up to him.
“I personally need to thank Aaron for his time on the New York Jets,” staff proprietor Woody Johnson mentioned in an announcement launched Thursday morning. “His arrival in 2023 was met with unbridled pleasure and I’ll ceaselessly be grateful that he selected to affix us to proceed his Corridor of Fame profession. From day one, he embodied all that it meant to be a New York Jet, embraced our followers, and immersed himself in our metropolis. That’s what I’ll keep in mind most after I look again at his time right here. He’ll at all times be welcome, and I want him solely the very best in no matter he chooses to do subsequent.”
The Jets should resolve whether or not to launch him and take the total $49 million lifeless cash hit on their wage cap in 2025 or designated him as a post-June 1 launch.
That might permit them to separate the cap hit over two years — $14 million in 2025 and $35 million in 2026.
If the Jets resolve to make him a post-June 1 launch, they’ve to attend till the brand new league 12 months begins on March 12 to really launch him.
Rodgers, 41, can be free to signal with any staff after that. Rodgers’ $23.5 million wage cap cost would stay on the books till June 1.
The Jets despatched a bundle of draft picks to the Packers in April 2023 to accumulate Rodgers. The hope was that the four-time MVP and future Corridor of Famer may present the franchise with a tradition change and elevate the staff out of its dropping methods.
The commerce was met with a lot fanfare, and Rodgers and the Jets had been featured on “Arduous Knocks” that summer season.
The pregame introduction for Rodgers’ first recreation on “Monday Night time Soccer” towards the Payments was one of the vital electrical moments the Jets have had at MetLife Stadium.
The temper rapidly modified, although, when Rodgers tore the Achilles tendon in his left ankle on the fourth play of the sport.
Rodgers was misplaced for the season, and the Jets went 7-10 with Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian at quarterback.
The return of Rodgers in 2024 gave the staff extra hope getting into final season. It didn’t go as deliberate, although.
Rodgers and the staff struggled, and head coach Robert Saleh was fired after 5 video games with the staff at 2-3.
The teaching change to Jeff Ulbrich solely appeared to make issues worse, and the spiral continued. GM Joe Douglas was fired in November and the staff completed the 12 months at 5-12.
The quarterback had an up-and-down season and was affected by leg accidents in the midst of the season. He threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
There have been some good moments down the stretch that made some suppose the Jets ought to carry him again in 2025, however he struggled mightily towards the Payments, the very best staff he performed within the ultimate month.
The Jets employed Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey as their new coach and GM, respectively, in January, and their first large transfer is to maneuver on from Rodgers.
“Final week we met with Aaron and shared that our intention was to maneuver in a distinct course at quarterback,” Glenn and Mougey mentioned in an announcement launched by the staff. “It was necessary to have this dialogue now to supply readability and allow every of us the right time to plan for our respective futures. We need to thank him for the management, ardour, and dedication he delivered to the group and want him success shifting ahead.”
The query now could be the place the Jets go at quarterback. Tyrod Taylor is underneath contract and is an skilled quarterback, however he has sturdiness questions.
The Jets maintain the No. 7 decide, which implies it’s unlikely they are going to be capable of get Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, who’re thought of the highest tier of quarterbacks within the draft.
The Jets may draft a quarterback on Day 2 and pair him with Taylor.
The choices in free company will not be all that interesting.
If the Vikings don’t re-sign Sam Darnold, he would be the prime free agent QB, however it’s unlikely he would need to return to the staff the place he spent his first three seasons.
Justin Fields is one other risk in free company. There may be additionally hypothesis that Atlanta may reduce Kirk Cousins. He has historical past with Rick Spielman, who was not too long ago employed as a senior advisor for the Jets.
Spielman signed Cousins when he was the GM of the Vikings.
Will probably be one other offseason of quarterback drama for the Jets, a place they know all too nicely.
