Where's Aaron Rodgers: New York Jets' Quarterback Attending OTAs?

New York Jets' general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh expect quarterback Aaron Rodgers to participate in voluntary offseason workouts, which begin April 15.

Florham Park, NJ May 31, 2023 -- Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers during the Jets OTA. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA

The plan is for New York Jets' quarterback Aaron Rodgers to spend more time at 1 Jets Drive this spring than on the Presidential campaign trail.

The 40-year-old Rodgers, who was reportedly in consideration but not selected as the Vice Presidential candidate for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has unfinished business to tend to in Florham Park.

Florham Park, NJ May 31, 2023 -- Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers during the Jets OTA. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA

"Aaron, I know he's on a mission. I don't want to speak for him. He's working his tail off out in California. He's communicating with us, I won't say daily but often," said Jets' fourth-year head coach Robert Saleh at the league meetings late last month in Orlando. "Knowing Aaron, he's on a mission to do a lot of things that he wanted to do last year and he's not gonna stop until he gets it done."

Having spent a healthy portion of the offseason in the western United States while rehabilitating his surgically-repaired Achilles, Rodgers is likely to return to New Jersey on or about April 15 — the starting date for Phase 1 of Organized Team Activities (OTAs).

"I expect Aaron to be back for a portion of OTAs. I haven't had the conversation to see what that exact detail looks like, but I know Aaron's excited to be back and around the guys," said New York general manager Joe Douglas while addressing a media scrum in Orlando.

As for the four-time NFL MVP's ability to function normally in an OTAs setting, Saleh doesn't foresee any issues. Remember,

Rodgers, who tore his Achilles in Week 1, was activated off Injured Reserve last December and practiced with his teammates on multiple occasions thereafter.

"Expecting him to be available for spring," said Saleh. "You guys know OTAs has become a 7-on-7 camp, so he should be able to do all that stuff."

Rodgers, who was known to skip spring workouts during his final seasons as a Green Bay Packer, was all in on OTAs in the weeks after being traded to the Jets, but a calf strain limited his time on the field last year.

Conducted in three phases, the NFL's nine-week offseason program is voluntary. Phase 3, which runs for the final four weeks, allows every team to conduct a maximum of 10 practices but no live contact is permitted.

The program concludes with a three-day mandatory minicamp, which will run from June 11-13. In 2023, the Jets chose to forego the minicamp opportunity due to an early training camp report date and participation in the Hall of Fame Game.