“Will he or won’t he?”
It’s a question that gets asked a lot of Aaron Rodgers these days.
It’s applied to his recovery from a season-ending Achilles injury, showing up for mandatory minicamp, and now, whether he will play in the New York Jets‘ preseason finale on Saturday against the New York Giants.
It remains unknown if Rodgers will indeed suit up in the final exhibition contest. What is known, however, is the quarterback’s status for Week 1 of the regular season.
Robert Saleh Says Aaron Rodgers Will Be Ready for Week 1
The Jets are no strangers to drama or headlines. There will be plenty of both when the regular season opens.
The NFL tabbed Robert Saleh to face his former team on Monday Night Football to conclude Week 1.
FREE: Subscribe to PFN’s NFL Newsletter
Saleh, who was defensive coordinator in San Francisco for four seasons from 2017-20, will have his starting quarterback on the field for the game, eliminating one strand of potential drama from the pre-game festivities.
Robert Saleh on Aaron Rodgers: "I think he's absolutely ready to go" for Sept. 9.
Says Rodgers was "where we needed him when he first walked in…His arm is still 30 and he's got plenty of mobility." #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini)
It will be Take Two of the Rodgers debut in New York. He was traded to the Jets in April of 2023 and debuted in the season opener, which was also on Monday Night Football. But his time on the field didn’t last long, as a ruptured Achilles tendon on the fourth snap of the game ended his season.
The Jets went on to defeat the Buffalo Bills that night, but it was a rare highlight in what was an otherwise disappointing season, especially for the offense. Saleh’s group finished a respectable 7-10, but it was largely due to the defense’s ability to keep the team in games.
On offense, the Jets ranked 30th in passing and 23rd in rushing. They were dead last in third-down conversion percent at 26.0%, and only three teams scored fewer points than New York’s 268.
The return and sustained health of Rodgers figures to change the Jets’ fortunes quite a bit.
No Rodgers-led offense has fared that poorly in any category. Exactly how much an improvement will be generated by Rodgers’ return, though, remains a mystery.
Can Rodgers Lead Jets to First Playoff Berth Since 2010?
Rodgers has a habit of making the playoffs. In 15 years as Green Bay’s starter, he qualified for the postseason nine times and advanced to the NFC title game on five occasions.
Rodgers has a 12-10 record in the playoffs, which includes a victory in Super Bowl XLV over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
MORE: Simulate the NFL Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor
The Jets do not have a habit of making the playoffs. It’s been 13 years since the Jets qualified, which ties them for the longest postseason drought in the four major American sports leagues with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. That’s not great company.
Anything less than a playoff appearance will be characterized as a disappointment for New York in 2024. The good news for Saleh and company is Rodgers is no stranger to that kind of expectation.
While Green Bay is nowhere near the same size market, its fans have an equally large expectation for the football team each year. It’s about winning championships in Green Bay, and that’s where Jets Nation wants their focus to be, too.
Outside of Rodgers’ health, there is reason to be bullish on the Jets.
Rodgers proclaimed this year’s training camp to be one of the toughest he’s experienced in nearly a decade, signaling to the rest of the NFL that New York means business when it comes to playing a physical brand of football.
From a personnel standpoint, Rodgers’ presence won’t be the only thing new for the Jets. The front office was aggressive in surrounding Rodgers with pieces that will help the four-time MVP lead the offense to more output.
Veteran Morgan Moses and former All-Pro Tyron Smith signed last March, giving Rodgers bookend tackles he can trust. Plus, former Los Angeles Chargers playmaker Mike Williams joins Garrett Wilson to give Rodgers a dynamic one-two punch at receiver.