The Jets 2024 season has yet to be completed.
However, Gang Green’s front office has already turned its attention towards 2025.
Jets owner Woody Johnson must hire a new general manager and coach before the team makes critical decisions about several veteran players. Among them are Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams, who both have contracts for next season.
However, with another new regime coming in, they could decide to rebuild the Jets roster and start over with a younger roster in place. With that in mind, let’s examine why the Jets should and shouldn’t keep Rodgers and Adams in 2025.
WHY RODGERS, ADAMS SHOULD RETURN
Future Hall of Famers don’t exactly grow on trees and that could be one of the factors behind Rodgers and Adams returning next season.
Both players had standout games against the Dolphins and Jaguars in recent weeks. In those two games, Rodgers passed for 628 yards and four touchdowns. Adams recorded 18 receptions for 307 yards and three touchdowns.
The Jets must consider bringing back both Rodgers and Adams because of the projected free-agent market in March. Is there a better quarterback on the market than Rodgers? What about a wide receiver like Adams, who clearly still has something left in the tank?
The Falcons appear done with Kirk Cousins, who is five years younger than Rodgers. Last week, Cousins was benched for rookie Michael Penix Jr. Cousins has struggled to return from his season-ending Achilles tear in 2023. Rodgers, at least, looks like he has completely healed and is moving around better than he has all season following knee, ankle, and hamstring injuries.
The Jets could also still draft a quarterback like Alabama’s Jalen Milroe in April’s draft to develop while also running it back with Rodgers and Adams. Given how the two have played the last few weeks, Johnson must consider this option.
WHY THEY SHOULD MOVE ON
There’s a lot that comes with signing up to coach Rodgers. He famously said last January, “The bulls–t that has nothing to do with winning needs to get out of the building,” but he is also part of that BS.
Rodgers appears on “The Pat McAfee Show” weekly and recently discussed various ESPN staffers who took shots at him. He also has a Netflix docuseries, “Engima,” which debuted earlier this month.
Would a coach want to deal with the baggage Rodgers brings, especially a declining player who will be 42 next season? Yes, Rodgers has played better the last few weeks, but he still isn’t the same MVP player many remember with the Packers.
If the Jets release Rodgers or he retires, they would absorb a $49 million cap hit, but if they make the release a post-June 1 designation, they can split that up over multiple years. If Rodgers leaves, I imagine Adams will not be with the Jets organization in 2025 either.
Adams is under contract for two more seasons for $35.6 million, but he has zero guaranteed money remaining on his contract after this season. Whoever the new general manager and coach is, they probably would like to keep Adams for another two seasons. But if the Jets start over, it is hard to imagine Adams sticking around for a rebuild, considering he has been in nightmare situations with both the Raiders and now the Jets.
WHAT IS THE LIKELY SCENARIO?
Johnson will not force Rodgers upon the new general manager and coach, according to a source. This will ultimately be decided in February or early March before the start of free agency.
If I had to make a prediction, I would guess Rodgers and Adams would move on to another team after this season. Whoever comes in will want to build their program a certain way, and having Rodgers still in Florham Park could be counterproductive to their goals.
If Rodgers and Adams want to keep playing together, the Titans are a possible option. Coach Brian Callahan already benched Will Levis, and the Titans will undoubtedly be quarterback-shopping during the offseason. However, they will likely miss out on Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
So Tennessee could look for veterans like Rodgers and Adams to stabilize its offense.