Former NFL WR Says Aaron Rodgers' Absence Will be 'Big Distraction' for Jets

Despite the New York Jets downplaying Aaron Rodgers' absence from mandatory minicamp, one former NFL star wide receiver says this could become a problem.

Dec 29, 2019; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) takes a knee during warmups prior to a game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets have been an offseason darling this year.

Getting Aaron Rodgers back in the mix, signing impact free agents, and drafting well generated a buzz that put them into a contending status in the minds of many fans and analysts.

Because of how good this defense has been the last two seasons, the prevailing thought is the Jets just need an average offense to win more games, and with Rodgers at the helm, the hope is they will be much better than that.

For that to happen, though, New York needs their future Hall of Fame signal caller to remain healthy and perform at the level he has in the past that has seen him win four MVP awards.

While relying on that from a 40-year-old coming off an Achilles tear isn't something that necessarily inspires confidence, the fact of the matter is the Jets don't really have another choice as this is a quarterback driven league, and to win, teams need to have an elite one at the helm.

With that in mind, it made national headlines when Rodgers opted to skip mandatory minicamp in favor of something he described as "personal."

Naturally, everyone has an opinion on the matter, with pundits ranging from saying it's not a big deal to calling for New York to replace him.

One former NFL star wide receiver offered his take on this situation.

In an appearance on Fox Sports 1's "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," Julian Edelman described Rodgers skipping minicamp as "a bad look."

He even went further in saying that this could present some issues for the Jets if things don't go as planned during the regular season.

"God forbid the New York Jets start 1-3 in the season ... If they go 1-3, this is going to be such a big distraction for that locker room. Because everyone is going to be talking about it. This is New York City, it is the media capital of the world," Edelman said.

If that happens, this Rodgers things will not only dominate headlines, but there will be discussions surrounding the job security of head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas.

Both are coming into the year on the hotseat, and a poor start to the year with such high expectations placed upon their shoulders is certain to result in changes if they aren't able to recover from that.

However, the former New England Patriots legendary wide receiver points out the other side of this coin, as well.

"Now, if they start 4-0 no one is going to care," he added. But he also still doesn't like the decision by Rodgers, saying "... this is the NFL. I think it's a bad look for your leader for whatever reason to go and miss an unexcused absence."

And for those fans who are going to say that a former Patriots player will always find a way to bash the Jets, that's not the case here.

"I am a big Aaron Rodgers fan," he made sure to point out.

Ultimately what comes out of this whole ordeal will be determined on the field.

If New York is able to get off to a fast start and win games, then this won't matter, but if not, this whole situation will dominate headlines and could potentially ruin their season.