What are realistic expectations for Aaron Rodgers this season?

Injuries are one of the worst parts of sports. Athletes will work their behinds off to get to the highest level, only for an injury to take everything away from them in an instant. And there's nothing that you can do to stop it. It's a helpless feeling.

For the New York Jets' signal caller, Aaron Rodgers, he didn't get to play a full drive with his new team before an injury would derail the entire franchise for a full calendar year. Rodgers would go down with a fully ruptured Achillies tendon just plays into the 2023 season.

The Jets were horrendous without Rodgers. Now, many experts pick them to win the loaded AFC East. But what should we expect from Rodgers himself?

Realistic expectations for Aaron Rodgers' 2024 season

Rodgers is no longer in his prime years. He's on the other side of 40 years old now. But remember, Rodgers won back to back MVP awards as a 37 and 38-year-old just a few short years ago, so age isn't really the issue here.

The Achillies is the issue.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins suffered a very similar Achillies tear last year. We're already seeing him struggle with pushing off of the compromised leg just one week into the season. It seems as though he's lost his deep ball due to the lack of power coming up the kinetic chain.

But for Rodgers, he injured the other Achillies, the one that he lands on.

Still, I wouldn't expect his mobility to really be there, either because of the age, the injury or a mixture of both.

He may not be his former MVP self, but he doesn't have to be with this Jets team.

Realistic statistical expectations

First, let's look at the career high and career lows for Rodgers in passing yards, passing touchdowns and interceptions in years that he played at least 15 games.

The reason that I wanted to bring these numbers up is to set baselines. I don't expect Rodgers to be any better than he was at his best and I don't expect him to be worse than he was at his worst.

With that being said, I anticipate that Rodgers will clear the 3,500-yard mark quite easily, likely landing right around 3,800 on the season. He doesn't have the best weapons around, but with Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson, he should have no trouble topping 3,500 yards.

As for touchdowns, I would picture him clearing 25 easily. I'd expect Wilson alone to catch 10 on the season. Rodgers could end up in the 29-33 touchdown range with good health.

Rodgers has never been somebody that throws a ton of interceptions. Given the fact that he has such a good defense with the Jets, it's hard to imagine he takes unnecessary risks with the football. Somewhere between seven and ten interceptions seems like the range he will land in.

Final prediction? 3,850 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

What should we expect from Rodgers? Expect Rodgers to be a winner. He's always been a winner and now he has a loaded supporting cast around him again.