32 NFL Teams in 32 Days: Jets’ Season Depends on Aaron Rodgers’s Health

There’s uncertainty regarding the play of the four-time MVP after his recovery from a torn Achilles heading into his age-41 season.

Rodgers enters his age-41 season, coming off a torn Achilles four plays into the 2023 NFL season. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to 32 teams in 32 days. To get us through the offseason, we’ll be taking a closer look at every team in the NFL, in order of projected 2024 win totals. Up next: the Jets.

The New York Jets nearly went into the summer break with minimal drama for a team with Aaron Rodgers. 

The future Hall of Fame quarterback created headlines after he missed the team’s mandatory minicamp with an unexcused absence. But this is the least of the Jets’ concerns because they need Rodgers to show up for all 17 games and possibly a few playoff games after how poorly it went last season.

There’s uncertainty regarding the play of Rodgers because he’s recovering from a torn Achilles heading into his age-41 season. But the team did everything it could to keep Rodgers upright after he played only four snaps during his first season with New York. 

GM Joe Douglas added four new offensive linemen, including veteran tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, guard John Simpson and rookie tackle Olu Fashanu. If guard Alijah Vera-Tucker is fully recovered from his Achilles injuries, the Jets appear to have a strong offensive line on paper. 

They also added a new playmaker for Rodgers, signing wide receiver Mike Williams. The defense also gained a new standout edge rusher after the team acquired Haason Reddick in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles (though Reddick skipped OTAs due to a contract dispute).

The Jets might need some luck to keep their important offensive players healthy, but this could finally be the year the offense helps the dominant defensive unit coach Robert Saleh has built the past three years. 

Biggest gamble this offseason: Running it back with Rodgers, Saleh, Douglas 

The Jets had no choice but to go all in with Rodgers again. Technically, they could have drafted a quarterback with the No. 11 pick to give Rodgers another Jordan Love situation, but more on that in a bit. This gamble goes back to 2023 when the Jets pulled the trigger on the trade with the Green Bay Packers, knowing Rodgers’s best days could be behind him. Rodgers’s age didn’t stop the Jets, but the turf at Metlife Stadium did, abruptly ending their promising season after he tore his Achilles four snaps into the season opener.

Jets owner Woody Johnson might have considered firing Douglas after five consecutive losing seasons. And maybe he thought the same for Saleh, who has failed to get the offense going after three seasons. Ultimately, Johnson decided to stick with the same group, with the hopes of Rodgers staying healthy to improve Saleh’s offense and allowing Douglas’s draft picks to shine. 

New York used the No. 11 pick on Fashanu; signed Smith, Moses and Williams; and even added a quality backup quarterback in Tyrod Taylor just in case the worst occurs again. The Jets are all in again, but this time they might have built the right roster for the aging Rodgers. 

Toughest stretch of the season: Weeks 5 to 9

The league’s schedule-makers did the Jets no favors by scheduling six prime-time games during their first 11 weeks of the season. That doesn’t even include the London game against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5 to begin a tough stretch for the Jets. After returning to U.S soil, the Jets will quickly prepare for their home matchup against the Buffalo Bills without a bye week—that doesn’t arrive until Week 12. That’s followed by back-to-back road games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots. The stretch will conclude with a Thursday Night Football home game vs. C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans.

Breakout player to watch: C Joe Tippmann

Tippman was one of the few bright spots for the Jets on the offensive line in 2023. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Tippmann being a serviceable rookie center was one of the few bright spots for a terrible offense last season. The 2023 second-round pick was steady as a run blocker, but had his ups and downs as a pass protector. He’ll likely show improvements in both areas with the arrivals of Smith, Moses and Simpson, and a healthy Vera-Tucker. But he might need a few games to adjust to Rodgers after playing together for only a few snaps last season. 

Best-case scenario: Rodgers stays healthy behind a stout offensive line

The Jets delivered on improving the offensive line. Now they have a good problem because it might be tough for them to decide on a starting five if Fashanu has an impressive training camp. They added experience at the tackle spots with Smith and Moses and could slide in Fashanu if one of the veterans is sidelined due to injury. If Vera-Tucker returns to top form and Simpson quickly finds his footing with his new team, Rodgers could have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. 

With a stout offensive line, Rodgers will get an opportunity to punish opposing defenses downfield with dynamic weapons Garrett Wilson and Williams. And it also helps that running back Breece Hall won’t be coming off an offseason in which he needed to recover from a torn ACL. Many are focused on Rodgers’s recovery from his Achilles injury, but perhaps the key to the Jets ending their 14-year playoff drought is the health of pivotal offensive players, including Vera-Tucker, Williams, Smith and Hall. They already have a dominant defense. Now, it’s on the offense to do its part in 2024. 

Worst-case scenario: Rodgers shows his age, more injuries occur at Metlife Stadium 

Even if Rodgers stays healthy, it’s not a guarantee the four-time MVP will play at a high level. The last time Rodgers played at an elite level was the 2021 season because he and the Packers had a rough final season in ’22. 

And what if Rodgers sustains another injury playing at Metlife Stadium? Williams sustained many injuries with the Los Angeles Chargers and Smith struggled to complete seasons during his final years with the Dallas Cowboys. The Jets are going to need plenty of luck to keep their key players healthy for most of the season. 

Head coach-quarterback tandem ranking

No. 16: Saleh (24) and Rodgers (9)

Saleh enters his third year after struggling to find an offensive flow due to poor quarterback play. Should Rodgers stay on the field longer than four snaps this year, perhaps we’ll find out whether Saleh can coach. As for Rodgers, can he produce at a high level coming off a torn Achilles? We’ll see. —Matt Verderame

Fantasy pick: Wilson

Wilson had 95 catches for 1,042 yards without Rodgers in 2023. / Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Wilson was listed among my breakout candidates last season, but the injury that cost Rodgers most of the year sunk that idea like the Titanic. On a positive note, he still averaged around 13 points per game with some less-than-stellar quarterbacks under center. With Rodgers back this season, Wilson will once again be in position to finally meet his high fantasy expectations. —Michael Fabiano

Best bet: Rodgers NFL MVP (+2000) at BetMGM 

I could have gone with Hall or Wilson here, but I’m taking a big swing for the payout. According to sources at BetMGM, wagers on Rodgers account for 9.9% of the handle, though there is not a high volume of tickets. Sharp money could be backing Rodgers to win his fifth MVP. At +2000, that bet could be worth a second look. —Jennifer Piacenti 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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