New York

Jets

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported on Saturday that Rodgers wants to play in 2025 but for a different team. Previous reports have carried the same sentiment. The Jets fired head coach Robert Saleh early in the season and just canned GM Joe Douglas, meaning it’s a page one rewrite for the franchise in the offseason. Rodgers, soon to be 41 years old, isn’t long for this league and a new staff will want to start from scratch with a quarterback of their choice. Still, the fact that someone is trying to change the narrative of Rodgers’ relationship with Johnson leaves the light on for him to play one more season in New York.

Russini cites conversations with sources with the Jets and around the league in her reporting. This comes on the heels of an ESPN report that indicated Rodgers likely wouldn’t be back with the Jets in 2025 under a new regime. With a new front office and head coach, it only makes sense that the organization will be moving on from the 40-year-old quarterback. The question remains of what team would be willing to acquire the former four-time MVP after an unequivocally disastrous stint in New York.

Rosenblatt and Russini report now-fired general manager Joe Douglas “had already lost some power midway through last season when Johnson took a more active role”. After a Week 4 loss to the Broncos, Johnson “suggested to coaches that they bench Aaron Rodgers”. A week later, he made the decision to fire head coach Robert Saleh “without consulting his general manager”. Johnson also made decisions on player signings and front office firings over the offseason, decreasing Douglas’ power as general manager and pressuring certain decisions, like nixing a trade for Jerry Jeudy and a contract extension for Bryce Huff. Douglas has now been fired as the Jets will hit reset in the offseason. Johnson returned to run the Jets in 2021, after serving as the United States’ Ambassador to the United Kingdom - his brother ran the team when the Jets hired Douglas in 2019.

“It’s hard to imagine him even wanting to come back,” Cimini adds. SNY’s Connor Hughes concurred, saying “it’s very clear now that this organization is going to find a new quarterback.” The Jets beat has come out strong with the belief that this is the end of the line for Rodgers in New York following the firing of Joe Douglas. There’s enough inertia here that we wouldn’t entirely rule out a Rodgers return — who is the owner? who is the general manager? who is the head coach? — but if those questions aren’t answered in a manner that is favorable to Aaron Rodgers, it seems likely that Rodgers would want to leave. The question would then become: Who would want a 41-year-old quarterback who won’t throw deep and doesn’t want to be challenged?

The former Browns general manager likely has no shot at getting a full-time job and, with the trade deadline passing, has little way to make an impact on this roster. He ran the Browns from 2005-2008 and has mostly been an executive or consultant since. He’s the guy who will check to make sure any move he wants to make is cool with Aaron Rodgers for the next seven weeks.

Phil Savage, a former general manager for the Browns and a member of New York’s front office, will serve as the Jets’ interim GM. Douglas is out after five and a half seasons as New York’s general manager. It hardly comes as a shock after the front office’s gamble on 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers turned out disastrously on every front. The Jets are 3-8 in another lost season without any clear path forward outside a total teardown and years-long rebuild. Douglas bet on Rodgers and lost badly. The Jets were 30-64 with Douglas as GM. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports the team’s GM search would begin immediately.

Hilariously, Conklin for some reason also took a fourth down direct snap that was stopped for no gain. Now held to one catch in three straight starts, Conklin is pure waiver wire fodder heading into the Jets’ Week 12 bye.

Adams displayed increased efficiency after a disastrous 6-of-13 for 31 yards effort in Week 10, but the entire Jets offensive operation ultimately remained limited and un-explosive. That included zero first downs until inside the two-minute warning in the first half. Adams will probably spike some weeks when the Jets return from their Week 12 bye for a soft stretch-run schedule, but any WR1 hope can be abandoned, while his WR2 value is now floor-based instead of ceiling-focused.

The disastrous statline comes as opposing defenses continue to close in on an immobile Aaron Rodgers. Wilson posted a new season low for yardage by 15. Wilson initially seemed to be benefitting from Davante Adams coming in and commanding defensive attention, but now it’s just Adams vacuuming up short-area looks while Rodgers struggles to generate anything down the field. There is hope when the Jets return from their Week 12 bye to face a string of soft opponents, but Wilson is beginning to look like a low-end WR2 in a deteriorating offense.

Allen was not targeted in the passing game. His fewest handles since Week 1 came as Breece Hall matched a season high with 23 touches. The backup running spot just isn’t a good place to be in an offense that struggles for both volume and points. With the Jets headed on bye for Week 12, you would be forgiven for cutting Allen loose despite his massive contingency value.