Former Jet Thinks Aaron Rodgers Wants Out Of New York
Former Jet Bilal Powell said he thinks Aaron Rodgers wants out of New York on a recent episode of In Flight Snack. The retired New York running back talked about how he was surprised Rodgers signed on in the first place, having been a part of their franchise and knowing the team’s history.
“For years, I have heard if you want to kill your career, come to New York. It was hard for me to believe because I played my entire career there, and I was pretty consistent with my numbers and production. So, I didn’t want to believe that rumor,” said Powell. “I’m sure when Aaron Rodgers took this opportunity, he said I am a winner. I can go change that. I guess he had to see it for his own eyes, and now that he has already stated that, I think he is out.”
Co-host Rami Lavi brought up a good point. When Rodgers restructured his contract last year, it gave him the flexibility to request another trade this offseason. It will be interesting to see how 2024 unfolds for the Jets now that all their eggs are in Rodgers’ basket.
The Jets are a 3.5-point favorite against the Washington Commanders on Sunday according to BetOnline.
The Jets were officially eliminated from postseason contention this past Sunday, drawing a line under a tumultuous season where the team was besieged by injury issues.
In some respects, it’s probably a relief that the team can now focus on what lies ahead instead of desperately trying everything they can to stay in contention.
With that in mind, let’s consider what the organization will be focused on moving forward, and whether we can gather any clues about their intentions from how the rest of the season plays out.
The Aaron Rodgers situation
The possibility of Rodgers returning on a surgically repaired Achilles to lead the Jets on a playoff run was likely always a pipe dream, and belonged more on the pages of a Hollywood movie script than any level-headed team’s main strategy.
With the Jets being eliminated, it’s now been confirmed that Rodgers won’t play this season, and that’s probably just as well. The temptation to try and manifest some kind of Rodgers miracle was understandably strong, but could have been catastrophic if he was re-injured or suffered some kind of setback that limited his 2024 preparation.
Considering the physical limitations the injury would place upon him and the decimated offensive line personnel up front, the risk of an injury would have been significant, too.
If all goes to plan, Rodgers’ return will fix a lot of the team’s biggest issues next year. He gets the ball out quick, so the offensive line’s job will be a lot easier. He poses a passing game threat, so opposing defenses can’t stack the box to stop the run. He’ll make the receiving talent look better by having better chemistry with his pass-catchers. This should even make the coaching and play-calling suddenly look a whole lot more competent.
The Jets must do all they can to keep him healthy and optimize his effectiveness, though. Especially now that they’ve had an extended look at what life is like without him.
Coaching changes
Reports indicate that the Jets are planning for head coach Robert Saleh, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett and general manager Joe Douglas to return in 2024. Crucially, Rodgers himself gave all three a strong public endorsement earlier this week. Barring a humiliating collapse over the past three weeks, the team looks set to run it back with this group.
That doesn’t mean the coaching staff will be unchanged, though. The defense has been strong all season, so they could potentially find themselves forced to replace staff who get bigger roles elsewhere. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich could get some head coaching interviews, and some of his assistants may be in line for coordinator roles.
If the Jets are going to fire anyone from this year’s staff, offensive line coach Keith Carter could be an obvious scapegoat. The communication struggles on the line and the disappointing output in the running game are both partly the responsibility of Carter, who is also the team’s running game coordinator.
