Aaron Rodgers was supposed to be the savior for the Jets. His arrival in New York fed what was a multiple-decade long hunger for a franchise quarterback, and he’d be plugged in with an elite defense and excellent skill position players on offense. Given what the Jets already had, Rodgers becoming their quarterback immediately put them in the Super Bowl conversation.
Aaron Rodgers & The Jets Lose Again, Now 3-7 On The Year
It hasn’t worked out the way that they’d hoped. The 2023 NFL season was lost to Rodgers’ Achilles injury, and the Jets are 3-7 through their first 10 games of 2024. Things appear dysfunctional, with a head coach firing and trades that seem to cater to their soon-to-be 41-year-old quarterback, and just how long New York sticks with Rodgers as their starter will start to come into question if the losing ways continue.
The Aaron Rodgers experiment is over. The Jets are back. pic.twitter.com/8wgFnTBuAo
— Wildes (@kevinwildes) November 10, 2024
But the way that his contract is set up, it would be mighty difficult to move on from Rodgers any time soon.
When he came to New York during the summer of 2023, he agreed to a revised contract with his new team. The deal would be 3 years in length, and Rodgers would earn over $112 million for the duration. It appeared to be a solid deal for a franchise quarterback going to a team ready to compete for a championship, but there was always the question of his age, and then his ability to return from a devastating leg injury.
Rodgers Has Dead Cap Number Of $49 Million For 2025
With every week that passes, that contract is looking more and more like a poison pill. His diminishing skills and lack of ability to produce wins consistently makes moving on from him after 2024 seem like a real option. But the dead money that is attached to Rodgers’ contract will make it essentially impossible for the team to move on during the coming off-season.
The dead cap number on Rodgers’ contract is set for $49 million for the 2025 season, which is actually $25 million more than he would be owed if he remained on the roster.
The Jets have little chance of turning this around this season. The AFC hasn’t been as strong as in year’s past, meaning that New York is still in the middle of the pack with their 3-7 record. But after coming into Week 10 with a 19% chance of qualifying for the postseason, that number will likely be closer to something like 12% after the conclusion of the week’s action.
Should they lose to the Colts before heading into their bye week, then the Jets could have their hopes crushed before Week 13 even rolls around.
