Rumblings emerged shortly after New York Jets owner Woody Johnson dismissed general manager Joe Douglas in November, claiming that the Jets would part ways with noteworthy veteran players such as quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Davante Adams during the upcoming offseason as part of a franchise reset.
There’s now more information on why at least Rodgers could have a new NFL home later this year.
“Barring an unforeseen change, the Jets are expected to move on from QB Aaron Rodgers and WR Davante Adams this offseason,” uStadium reported on Tuesday. “Source tells us the relationship between owner Woody Johnson and Rodgers is ‘irreparable.'”
It’s hardly a stretch to say that the Jets’ experiment of acquiring Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers in the spring of 2023 has not gone as hoped. He suffered a campaign-ending torn Achilles on the Jets’ fourth offensive snap of his Gang Green regular-season debut, allegedly failed to mentor former New York backup signal-caller Zach Wilson as originally planned and later skipped the club’s two-day mandatory minicamp this past June because of “a pre-planned trip to Egypt.”
More recently, Rodgers has largely played like a shell of his former great self throughout the ongoing season up through being replaced by current backup Tyrod Taylor in this past Sunday’s 40-14 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills that dropped the Jets to 4-12.
According to Pro Football Reference, Rodgers heads into Week 18 ranked 25th in the NFL among qualified players with a 48.3 adjusted QBR and 20th with an 89.1 passer rating on the campaign. Over 16 games, the 41-year-old has tossed 24 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.
It makes sense the relationship between Johnson and Rodgers could be “irreparable,” considering it was reported in November that Johnson suggested to coaches after New York’s 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 4 “that they bench Aaron Rodgers in favor of Tyrod Taylor because [Johnson] felt Rodgers’ performance was holding the team back.”
Meanwhile, Russ Weakland and Oliver Salt of the Daily Mail shared earlier this week that Rodgers “is convinced that a move to either the Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans or Las Vegas Raiders would make the most sense in 2025″ if he’s released by the Jets in March.
As for Adams, he could become a salary-cap casualty and wouldn’t have much reason to want to stay with a rebuilding Jets side if the club shows Rodgers, the 32-year-old’s close friend, the door.
While it remains to be seen if Rodgers will take a meaningful snap when the Jets host the 8-8 Miami Dolphins this coming Sunday, it seems there’s little reason he should want to risk his health during that matchup unless he plans to retire as soon as later this month.
