After being traded to the New York Jets, quarterback Aaron Rodgers agreed to a new deal that was seen as very team-friendly, especially compared to the NFL’s highest-paid QBs. Let’s examine Rodgers’ contract and what it means for the Jets going forward.
Aaron Rodgers’ Contract Details and Bonuses
Rodgers is in the second year of a three-year, $112.5 million deal with the Jets, which included $75 million guaranteed. He received a $35 million signing bonus, with a $35 million option bonus in 2024.
Here’s a breakdown of Rodgers’ salary cap numbers over the next three years:
- 2024: $17.161 million
- 2025: $51.5 million
- 2026: $35 million
Looking ahead, Rodgers’ 2025 salary isn’t guaranteed. However, the deal is set up in a way that will make it hard for the Jets to move on before that salary is due.
It’s worth noting that Rodgers’ contract is actually a five-year deal with two void years. When the option bonus is exercised, a third-void year will be added. This allows the Jets to spread the prorated bonus money across the full five years at $7 million per year for each bonus.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is now the highest-paid player in NFL history. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/nCt9P7faCM
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365)
This means Rodgers will have leverage in 2025 to try and get a new deal. He will be 42 years old by then, but with the prospect of $86.5 million hanging over the Jets across two years, perhaps they will offer him another deal.
The signing and option bonuses mean it will be close to impossible for the Jets to move on. If they decided to release him in 2025, New York would take on $49 million in dead money, which would only amount to $2.5 million in savings from his cap number.
Ultimately, in 2025, the Jets can either extend Rodgers’ deal to push their salary-cap issues into the future, release him to save $37.5 million in cash but still have him count for $49 million against the cap, or play out the deal by paying him $51.5 million with a potential dead-money hit of $35 million in 2026.
It will be interesting to see what New York chooses to do, and Rodgers’ performance between now and then will certainly impact their decision-making.