Ranking 5 New York Jets quarterback options to replace Aaron Rodgers
By Kristen Wong
If Aaron Rodgers is out for the season, what veteran stop-gap can the Jets sign to stay competitive in 2023?
In one of the cruelest twists of fate in NFL history, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down due to injury after playing just four snaps in his highly anticipated 2023 debut.
It's cruel for the thousands of Jets fans, some who proudly bought No. 8 jerseys this past summer, who have waited their entire lives to watch solid quarterback play. It's cruel for young players like Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, and Sauce Gardner, who showed on Monday night that this Jets team is absolutely capable of a deep playoff run but will continue to suffer from one big black spot on the roster. It's just incomprehensibly cruel.
Word on the street is that Rodgers hurt his Achilles, and even if it's just a partial tear, the Jets must plan for life without Rodgers this year.
The 2023 season is salvageable, but with a tough slate of games coming up, the Jets may have to act fast. Barring another draft picks trade (Jimmy G? Kyler?), they may dip their fingers in the veteran free agent market.
Here are our rankings of the best Aaron Rodgers replacements in 2023.
Aaron Rodgers Replacement No. 5: Matt Ryan
Longtime Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan closed out his NFL career on the Colts in 2022. Though he isn't technically retired just yet, Ryan's unimpressive final year in the league makes him a mile-long shot for the Jets.
The 38-year-old started 12 games for Indy last season and was ultimately benched in favor of Sam Ehlinger. He recorded just over 3,000 passing yards and threw 14 touchdowns against 13 interceptions.
No one's expecting Ryan to magically revert to his younger Pro Bowl self if he's lured over to New York. We just don't think Robert Saleh and the Jets are going to take a chance on this particular washed-up veteran, who would do little to inspire confidence in an otherwise high-octane offense.
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