Subscribe
Follow Us
The New York Jets had a lot of hope heading into the season with the addition of Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers had a highly anticipated debut in Week 1, which was cut short as he tore his Achilles four snaps into the season.
While the Jets had a lot of promise going into the season, it was over quickly. New York got a second spark of hope as Rodgers miraculously didn't rule himself out of returning to the field. Rodgers went through a different rehab process that could get him on the field more quickly. The 40-year-old returned to practice this past week, only a few months after tearing his Achilles. He could return to playing games this season if he continues to recover at his current pace.
With that said, here is why the Jets must not bring Aaron Rodgers back this season after a horrific Week 13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Jets are out of the playoff picture
Rodgers' quick comeback from tearing his Achilles has been miraculous. However, the Jets are 4-8 and almost certainly out of the playoff hunt in the competitive AFC. This makes his return to the field unnecessary and more of a risk than a benefit.
While New York isn't officially eliminated, it would be an uphill climb to make it to the playoffs. They are the 14th seed in the AFC and need to be a top-seven seed to reach the playoffs. The Jets haven't done enough to garner a reason for Rodgers to return.
Article Continues Below
Qarterback play has been a problem for New York with Rodgers' injury. Former No. 2 pick Zach Wilson has struggled, completing 59.2 percent of his passes for 1,944 yards, six touchdown and seven interceptions. His lackluster play led him to be benched in favor of Tim Boyle for two weeks.
Boyle didn't perform any better, completing 62.3 percent of his passes for 360 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. After the loss to Atlanta, the Jets cut Boyle, and Wilson will take over the starting role once again.
Although the quarterback situation is a part of their losing ways, there are other factors. New York's offensive line has been atrocious, allowing 51 sacks, which is the third-most by an NFL team this season. This is another reason why the Jets shouldn't bring Rodgers back. As he's coming off a significant injury, putting him behind a weak offensive line could be detrimental.
Rodgers also isn't ready to play in games yet. If he were ready to play this week, there could be more of an argument for letting him play, as the Jets could go on a run. However, with Wilson still under center, it's likely the Jets will continue to lose games, and by the time Rodgers is available, they could completely be out of the playoff picture.
New York's remaining schedule isn't easy as they take on three quality teams in the AFC: The Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns. Wilson will have a difficult time beating these teams that are in the mix for a playoff spot.
At this point of the season, it makes more sense for the Jets to let Rodgers recover for 2024 They will have a high draft pick, as they currently have the sixth overall pick. New York should allow Aaron Rodgers to rest this season and come back next year to help get the team back to Super Bowl contention.
