There was a collective set of groans coming out of MetLife Stadium last night as Aaron Rodgers went down to the ground. The biggest fear, the one that streamlines all the way from NFL coach to fan, came true last night, as Rodgers, one of the sports' star players, went down with a season-ending Achilles injury. All the hype, all the preseason projections and predictions, all the wonder and excitement of what was supposed to be one of the best seasons in New York Jets history, seemingly flitted away in just 75 seconds, the amount of playing time Rodgers was on the field. So, now what? That's what every Jets fan is asking today. But there isn't an easy or conceivable answer to give, only some blanketed in more questions. Like that of Matt Ryan.
Could the Jets give Matt Ryan a call?
For those that don't know, Matt Ryan isn't retired. He's currently an NFL analyst for CBS on Sundays. But he might switch his coat and tie for a helmet and pads at the first call he receives. After only one week of NFL games, there's seemingly already an open availability for what was supposed to be one of the best teams in the league this season, that being the Jets. Granted, a lot of that was because of who the starting quarterback was, Rodgers, who was traded from the Green Bay Packers in the offseason. Ryan clearly stated right before the season began that he was indeed not retired and that he would listen to offers if they came.
“P.S. – this is not a retirement post,” Ryan posted on X, after announcing he had joined CBS back in May.
So, should Ryan be expecting a call just anytime now from Jets head coach Robert Saleh? If he hasn't already?
There is a catch to Ryan staying unretired, however. After the Indianapolis Colts cut him in March, they avoided paying him an extra $17 million, yet they do still owe him $12 million, that is if he continues to seek NFL employment. Still, it's worth noting that Ryan is a free agent, making the Jets situation all the more interesting now.
Matt Ryan could be the best fit for the Jets now
It's probably obvious that 28-3 still haunts Ryan to this day. The Atlanta Falcons' Super Bowl LI collapse will forever be remembered because of the unbelievable comeback the New England Patriots made, and Ryan was and still is a centerpiece of that. Therefore, it would be easy for Ryan to look at the roster in New York, see the talented defense, see guys like Garrett Wilson at wide receiver, see the talented running back group and think, “Maybe I can make this work.”
It has to be enticing, right? That's why Ryan requested to go to the Colts, along with other reasons. Initially, the Colts, like the Jets currently, seemed to have all the right things in place when Atlanta traded him over. He had one of the best running backs in the league and a solid defense to back him up. Yet, nothing materialized the way it should have, although little of the blame should go on Ryan. As we've seen, most of the Colts' problems start all the way up through ownership and upper management.
The Jets appear to be in a much better situation now than what the Colts were then. It at least appears that way. Ryan is still healthy, as he has been throughout most of his career. He's also been one of the marquee quarterbacks over the last 15 years in the NFL, ranking in the top 10 in league history with 62,792 passing yards, 381 touchdowns, 5,551 completions, and 8,464 passing attempts. Out of the other options, like Tom Brady, Colin Kaepernick, Philip Rivers, and others, Ryan should be heavily considered if the Jets truly want to seek out free-agent quarterbacks. He's young enough, has recent playing time going back to last season, and in possibly the right situation, could be productive.
Matt Ryan could also be the worst fit for the Jets now
The glaring problem for the Jets, the one that everyone thought could be glossed over because of Rodgers and the skill position players around him, was the offensive line. The Jets had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last year, allowing 42 sacks. This problem became very apparent much earlier than most would have liked to have seen when last night, after just a handful of snaps, where Rodgers was pressured on everyone of them, the Hall of Fame quarterback eventually went down after tearing his Achilles tendon. Rodgers, who has been mobile during his career, had historically great offensive lines while he was in Green Bay. However, he had statistically had a much lower percentage of runs last season, which is all but expected from the then 38-year-old.
Ryan, over the last five seasons, has finished within the top 6 of sacks taken for a quarterback, averaging 41.8 sacks over that time, according to StatMuse. Similar to Rodgers, the 38-year-old Ryan most likely can't take a consistent beating like he used to. Taking that amount of punishment over that time has bound to be some kind of stress on his body. So, then the question to be asked by Ryan and the Jets — is it worth it? Is it worth it to potentially go through yet another disastrous injury to a promising quarterback? Is it worth it to put the Jets as a franchise and their fans through yet another heartbreak? Is it worth it for Ryan to come down from a cushy analyst job to be sacked nearly three times a game, risking the chance of ending his career on a debilitating injury like Rodgers?
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