Should the Jets run it back with Aaron Rodgers one more time? It makes sense

The New York Jets aren’t having the season they expected. With Aaron Rodgers under center, they’ve only won four games. Fans are questioning whether or not it’d be in the organization’s best interest to bring back the four-time MVP. 

Headed into Week 16, it looks like the Jets will be selecting in the top-10 in the upcoming NFL draft. That said, drafting one of the top QBs could be an option. If Jalen Milroe or Dillon Gabriel is available when New York is ready to pick, they’d be foolish to pass. However, the Jets have a ton of talent. Rebuilding next season will be tough. 

Garrett Wilson, Davante Adams, and Breece Hall are still under contract for next season. Bringing back Rodgers for one more go under the right head coach could get them to where they want to be, even if they draft a QB in the first round. Plus, they could always have a young QB sit behind the former Super Bowl champion to learn.

This is especially true considering New York doesn’t have a rich history of first-round QBs playing well right away. Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson were both thrown into the fire right away. Both of them couldn’t find success in New York. 

Aaron Rodgers gives the Jets the best chance to win in 2025

Rodgers hasn’t played as poorly as many think this season. He could finish the regular season with the Jets single-season passing yards and passing touchdowns records. The former Green Bay Packer has 3,255 passing yards with 23 passing touchdowns as of this writing. Ryan Fitzpatrick holds New York’s single-season record for passing touchdowns with 31, and Joe Namath has the passing yards record with 4,007. 

Over the past seven games, the 40-year-old has 13 passing touchdowns while averaging 227.4 passing yards per game. At the beginning of the season, the offense was struggling. Now that Rodgers seems healthier, he’s starting to hit his stride more. 

New York’s defense has been the main problem this season. The Jets have 588 missed tackles this season, the sixth most in the NFL. Last season, the team featured a top defense. This season, they’ve digressed significantly. The Jets give up 23.2 points per game, which puts them at 19th in the NFL this season. 

Even if New York intends to draft a QB, running it back might be the best option. Wilson and Adams are proving to be an elite tandem. With Braelon Allen and Hall in the backfield, it gives them two running backs with elite potential. 

Holding onto Rodgers will cost them a $60 million cap hit for 2025. If they cut ties with the former back-to-back MVP, they’d have a $49 million dead cap hit. Reworking Rodgers contract could be in the best interest of both parties.

Next season, the Jets could re-tool the defense and improve the offensive line to put a playoff-caliber team on the field. And of course, they need to find the right head coach to run the show. If they can do that, they can still hold on to Rodgers to give it one more try. The four-time MVP might be the best option for 2025 with the offensive weapons they have.