Category: New York jets

 

 

 

When an organization makes wholesale changes, as the New York Jets did this offseason, the pendulum often swings in the opposite direction because it overcompensates for its perceived shortcomings. That’s why teams go from a player-friendly coach to a disciplinarian or vice versa.

 

The pendulum theory certainly applies to the Jets and their quarterback situation. They replaced a historically great player in Aaron Rodgers, 41, who was unsteady at times in his two seasons in New York, with a 26-year-old rocket ship in Justin Fields, who still is trying to find his way as a complete quarterback.

 

They’ll go from a prolific passer — Rodgers set a franchise record with 624 dropbacks last season — to one of the greatest running quarterbacks in NFL history. Fields has averaged 50.2 rushing yards per game in four seasons; the only player with a higher average is Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson (59.9).

 

Not only did the Jets change quarterbacks, but they changed the personality of the position in Year 1 under coach Aaron Glenn. Yes, a lot of things will be different about the Jets, who rebooted after a disastrous 5-12 season.

 

On Monday, the first day of the free agent negotiating period, the Jets agreed to a two-year, $40 million contract with Fields, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal includes $30 million in guarantees, which suggests the Jets intend to make Fields their starter. They might try to spin it as a competition between him and respected backup Tyrod Taylor, but Fields’ contract gives him a decided edge.

 

Fields will be reunited with former Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson, who is said to be thrilled with the addition. In 2020, a pandemic-shortened season, Wilson caught 43 passes for 723 yards and six touchdowns in eight games with Fields as the Buckeyes’ starter.

 

For the Jets, Fields’ exceptional mobility will provide a unique dimension. One former Jets official said Fields “may be the best, total athletic QB in club history.” They haven’t had a lot of them. The franchise record for most rushing yards in a season by a quarterback is 453, set in 1960 by Al Dorow. In the Super Bowl era, the best year came from Geno Smith, who ran for 366 yards as a rookie in 2013.

 

The Jets haven’t employed many fleet-footed quarterbacks. True, they did have Michael Vick in 2014, but he was on his last legs as Smith’s backup, and, if he were to get the starting nod, Taylor’s running days seem to be over, as he averaged 17.9 rushing yards per game in 11 appearances with the New York Giants in 2023.

 

Fields can change that. We’re talking about a quarterback who rushed for 1,143 yards in 2022, his second year with the Chicago Bears. If he gets on a roll, he might eclipse Dorow’s mark by Halloween. The threat of a running quarterback should unlock the entire running game, which struggled last season (31st in yards). This bodes well for Breece Hall (876 yards), a talented back who often found himself swallowed up in the backfield.

 

It will be up to first-time offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand to devise a system that capitalizes on Fields’ strengths. It will be a departure for Engstrand, who came from the Detroit Lions with Jared Goff, a pure pocket passer with limited mobility. Look for more run-pass options, zone reads and one-read pass plays. Fields can make plays, if used correctly. The Jets can run the ball and rely on their defense under their defensive-minded head coach. It won’t be a wide-open, high-flying attack like the Lions.

 

Glenn said recently he wants his quarterback to have mental and physical toughness and be “a winner.” He didn’t mention anything about arm strength or accuracy. Fields was a winner at Ohio State, but he has won only 14 of 44 starts in the NFL, including 4-2 with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. The big question is whether he can carry a team with his arm, not just his legs.

 

 

Justin Fields became the third quarterback to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season in 2022. His running ability gives the New York Jets something they haven’t had in the past. Darron Cummings/AP

Since 2021, Fields ranks 29th in Total QBR and 34th in completion percentage over expected. He did show some subtle improvements in Pittsburgh — he was 17th in EPA per dropback when he was replaced by Russell Wilson — but he still has many naysayers who question whether he can be a long-term answer because of his lack of production from the pocket.

 

The Jets don’t know the answer, either, but they will have a year to figure it out. If it doesn’t work, they can escape the contract in 2026.

 

But one thing is certain: Fields will play the position like no other in Jets history.

 

Justin Fields #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers scrambles during the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens during the AFC Wild Card Playoff at M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Athletic has live coverage of NFL free agency. Track all the latest moves here.

 

The New York Jets have a new quarterback. Justin Fields and the team agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth $40 million, according to a league source. The pact includes a guarantee of $30 million, according to a league source.

 

Fields was the Jets No. 1 target heading into the offseason, and they’ve had their eye on him ever since Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey took over as head coach and general manager, respectively.

He’s not a perfect quarterback but the talent is significant, his mobility can be used as a weapon and the Jets believe they can turn him into a quality starter in the same way Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold had a resurgence after leaving the teams that drafted them. The Jets announced last month that the team was moving on from Aaron Rodgers after two seasons.

 

Fields will plug in as the surefire starter in 2025 with Tyrod Taylor as a backup — and the prospect that the Jets would still draft another quarterback can’t be entirely ruled out.

Fields showed some flashes of improvement as a passer with the Steelers in 2024 but not enough to keep him from getting benched for Russell Wilson. Pittsburgh had interest in bringing him back, but the Jets ultimately made him an offer he couldn’t refuse — and now he gets to reunite with Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson, too.

 

Fields was the No. 24 ranked player on The Athletic’s top 150 free agent rankings and the third-highest quarterback on the list. The No. 11 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bears, Fields spent the first three seasons of his career in Chicago. With the team set to select Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bears traded Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers last March.

 

Fields stepped in for an injured Wilson at the beginning of the season and led the Steelers to a 4-2 record before Fields was replaced by Wilson returned in the starting role. Last season, Fields posted career highs in completion percentage (65.8) and quarterback rating (93.3) while throwing for 1,106 passing yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He added 289 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

 

In four seasons, Fields has a record of 14-30 as a starting quarterback and has thrown for 7,780 yards, 45 touchdowns and 31 interceptions on a completion percentage of 61.1. The 26-year-old also has 2,509 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground.

 

 

 

 

Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers are both likely to be released by the New York Jets this offseason.

Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers are both likely to be released by the New York Jets this offseason. / Ed Mulholland-

 

Davante Adams has almost certainly played his last game as a member of the New York Jets.

 

With Aaron Rodgers gone, Adams’s fate is all but certain, given his connection to the 41-year-old quarterback. At the end of the season, Adams signaled that if Rodgers was gone he almost certainly would be too. That’s because his salary cap hit in 2025 is $38.3 million. He’d have to rework the deal if he wanted to stay with the franchise but with Rodgers gone, that’s highly unlikely.

 

Adams indicated at the end of the season that his future with the team was tied to Rodgers. He’s under contract for two more years, but he won’t have to request his release. It will happen because his 2025 cap charge is prohibitive — $38.3 million, none of it guaranteed. The only way to stay is to renegotiate the deal, and he probably prefers to be released, allowing him to test free agency for the first time.

 

The Jets would save $29.9 million but cutting Adams loose.

 

The 32-year-old three-time All-Pro landed with New York on October 15, 2024, when the Jets sent a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft to the Las Vegas Raiders to secure his services. In 11 games with the franchise, Adams caught 67 passes for 854 yards and seven touchdowns.

 

The Jets have cleaned house after a 5–12 season and will likely attempt to build with youth. That leaves no room for Adams or Rodgers. Both former Green Bay Packers stars will be hitting free agency for the first time in their careers.

 

 

•

 

Aaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets reacts during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

 

The New York Jets made it official, announcing that they’re breaking up with Aaron Rodgers after two disappointing seasons amid yet another organizational reset.

 

Rodgers recently met with new coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey to discuss the Jets’ plans, and a statement released by the team Thursday pronounced New York was going in a different direction at quarterback.

 

It’s unclear what that other direction is. Tyrod Taylor has a year remaining on his contract. Jordan Travis, a 2024 fifth-round pick, has yet to practice with the Jets while recovering from an ankle injury. The 2025 free-agent quarterback market isn’t robust and neither is the looming quarterback draft class.

 

The top quarterbacks set to hit free agency include Sam Darnold, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Daniel Jones, Jacoby Brissett, Zach Wilson, Andy Dalton, Drew Lock, Marcus Mariota, Joe Flacco and Trey Lance. The Jets’ struggles with Darnold and Zach Wilson at QB led them to Rodgers in the first place.

 

 

The 41-year-old rebounded from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in Week 1 of 2023 to complete 63 percent of his passes for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns and 11 interceptions this season. Rodgers’ passer rating of 90.5 was the lowest of his 14 full seasons as a starter and he went 5-12, the worst record of his career.

 

Rodgers’ plans for the future remain unknown. The fact that he traveled to Jets headquarters to meet with Glenn and Mougey seems to suggest he is considering playing a 21st NFL season. What teams are in the market for a four-time league MVP with a Super Bowl ring and a 42nd birthday coming up in December? And which of those teams would appeal to Rogers?

 

A quick poll of a half-dozen NFL talent evaluators yielded meager returns. They see few great fits for Rodgers at this point in his career. There are no situations similar to, say, Peyton Manning joining the Denver Broncos for one last shot at Super Bowl glory.

 

The Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants all have quarterback needs. But few of them — if any — are an aging star quarterback away from contending.

 

Rodgers’ criteria for a potential next destination is unknown. But here’s a stab at the best potential fits for the future Hall of Famer.

 

 

Las Vegas Raiders

The revamping Raiders seemingly would love to make a splash as they kick off the Pete Carroll era. Right now, the Raiders have a gaping hole at quarterback. They do have a beast of a tight end in Brock Bowers, a 1,000-yard receiver in Jakobi Meyers, a young and talented offensive line and a dominant pass rusher in Maxx Crosby.

 

Perhaps Rodgers could come in and give the team a spark. Getting past the Chiefs, Chargers and Broncos in the AFC West still could prove challenging. Yet this might be a win-win situation for a team that needs a bridge quarterback and a fading star who isn’t ready to hang ’em up yet.

 

Tennessee Titans

Tennessee has the first pick in a draft that does not boast a clear franchise-saving quarterback prospect. Would a dance with Rodgers make sense? The Titans have some pieces on offense: Wide receiver Calvin Ridley delivered a 1,000-yard season despite catching passes from Will Levis (only 2,091 passing yards), and running back Tony Pollard rushed for 1,000 yards. They also have a stout defense, and the AFC South is seemingly always up for grabs.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers

For the record, this doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. But because Las Vegas has Mike Tomlin’s team as the early leaders in odds to land Rodgers, we’ll include Pittsburgh for a matter of debate. Yes, the Steelers are a playoff team, and yes, they have a good defense, a talented wide receiver in George Pickens and a strong running back in pending free agent Najee Harris.

 

But this doesn’t feel like a fit. Stylistically, the Steelers and Rodgers clash. Rodgers still wants to sling the ball around and command the spotlight. Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith like to lean on their defense, run the ball and take shots through the air here and there. Tomlin is also the undisputed alpha of the franchise, and Rodgers always challenges authority. Don’t see it.

 

 

It makes some sense. Rodgers comes in and runs an offense he has great familiarity with from his time in Green Bay with Matt LaFleur. Deebo Samuel would possibly no longer want out. Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle … the weapons abound. This also gets the 49ers out of having to overpay Brock Purdy to be average in 2025. Rodgers holds it down, and they draft a long-term option in 2026.

 

It all makes so much sense … until you remember that former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh is back with the 49ers. Kyle Shanahan, although perfectly capable of tweaking the offense to mask Rodgers’ deficiencies, also might wind up clashing with the headstrong quarterback. It was a thought for a second.

 

The options are indeed limited. The Browns aren’t likely to add to their disaster of a quarterback situation. The Giants are so far away from contending. There really aren’t many teams that make sense. And that’s why Rodgers’ best move might be retirement. He came back from the Achilles tear. He played all 17 games and became the fifth quarterback to throw 500 touchdown passes in his career.

 

While he didn’t have the storybook ending he wanted, he accomplished something. He can remain close to the game and still make great money with a TV deal. Tom Brady’s making $37.5 million a year on average from Fox. Rodgers, whose appearances on “The Pat McAfee Show” inspired considerable attention, should be able to command a pretty penny as well.

 

 

Mike Jones joined The Athletic as a national NFL writer in 2022 after five years at USA Today, where he covered the NFL, and eight years at The Washington Post, where he covered the Washington Commanders. He previously covered the Washington Wizards for The Washington Times. Mike is a native of Warrenton, Va.

 

Rodgers lasted only two season as a member of the Jets

Rodgers lasted only two season as a member of the Jets

“He will always be welcome, and I wish him only the best in whatever he chooses to do next.”

 

Rodgers’ time as a Jet lasted only two seasons and less than 18 total games played.

 

 

Fans were left confused when the team’s official X account wrote this message, thanking Rodgers for ‘everything’

It resulted in just five wins.

 

His time as a member of Gang Green was an unequivocal failure.

 

A large part of that was the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered just four plays into the 2023 season.

 

 

Coming back from such a serious injury on the wrong side of 40 was always going to be an uphill climb.

 

Sprinkle in his weekly appearances with Pat McAfee on ESPN, a fired head coach midseason, trading and signing ‘his guys’, the Jets have opted out of the Rodgers business and circus that followed.

 

The Jets official X account posted a farewell that read, “For everything you’ve given us the past two years, thank you 8”

 

This left fans confused as to what exactly the ‘everything’ was.

 

Was it the five wins?

 

The constant distractions?

 

“What has he given you? 2 losing seasons,” one fan posted on X.

 

“Couldn’t be less thankful,” another fan chimed on.

 

However, it wasn’t all negative, as one fan lamented the organization’s decision to not bring Rodgers back.

 

 

New York Jets wide receiver Davante Adams talks on Aaron Rodgers

“The wrong move, hopefully we have a good plan in place,” wrote the fan.

 

While Rodgers wasn’t terrible this past year, he wasn’t exactly good nor consistent.

 

He threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns, but was ranked 30th among qualifying quarterbacks in completion percentage.

 

Of his 17 starts, nine have had a negative EPA and Rodgers finished 26th in EPA per attempt for the season and 30th in air yards per attempt.

 

 

The Jets will face nearly $50million in dead money when they release him and can either take the full hit this year or designate him as a post-June 1 cut.

 

If they choose the latter, which is likely, they’d save $9.5m, but then absorb a $35m cap hit in 2026.

 

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell summed up the Rodgers experience in New York with a perfect post on X.

 

“Two second-round picks, $75 million, the contracts for Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Tim Boyle,” Barnwell said.