Jets Projected To Pursue 9-Time Pro Bowler If Aaron Rodgers Leaves

Will the Jets have a new quarterback in 2025?

Dec 4, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; The helmet of the Pittsburgh Steelers on the field during warm up prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Who will be playing quarterback for the New York Jets in 2025?

This will be the question of the offseason.

Aaron Rodgers still seems like the most likely choice, but his future is in question. There have been rumblings about the possibility of retirement. There also has been chatter about whether the Jets would want to bring someone else in.

At the end of the day, Rodgers is a future Hall of Famer who had 28 touchdown passes in a roller coaster of a 2024 season. He’s under contract for one more year and it could make sense to play it out with Rodgers and also bring in a young guy to take over afterward.

This also is contingent on whether Rodgers wants to continue playing. If he decides to hang up his cleats, then this is a moot point. If Rodgers retires, the team will have to look to the market to bring another guy in.

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox suggested Russell Wilson as a fit if Rodgers isn’t with the team in 2025.

“For a stretch in the middle of the season, Russell Wilson was trending toward being a top-10 free agent in this year's class,” Knox said. “Starting-caliber quarterbacks aren't easy to find, and it seemed like Pittsburgh might have found its answer. However, Wilson's late-season slide may have cooled his market considerably. The 36-year-old was average at best over the final month, and the Steelers lost four straight games to end the regular season…

“Wilson will likely be valued as a high-end bridge quarterback, just as Kirk Cousins was last offseason, although Wilson's slide should lead to a much more manageable contract. Teams that fell outside of the top five in the draft order—like the Jets and the Saints, if they move on from Derek Carr—could be the most interested. Potential Suitors: New Orleans Saints, New York Jets.

Wilson is a nine-time Pro Bowler who could likely do a somewhat similar job as to what Rodgers did. This is a pretty solid suggestion if Rodgers does decide to retire but it won’t help in the long term. The easiest option would be to just run it back for one more year. But, Rodgers' decision about retirement will lead the way to changes being made, if any are needed.

More NFL: Jets Projected To Pursue 24-Year-Old In Line For $59 Million