As Aaron Rodgers goes, so goes the New York Jets season. That is the conventional thinking when mapping the outlook for the Jets in 2024, and it isn’t a bad take at all for projecting this team.
The Jets are very much dependant on how Rodgers bounces back from last season’s injury. They aren’t the only NFL team in this situation, but they are the organization with the biggest question mark about their star quarterback.
But Pro Football Focus (PFF) seems to believe that Rodgers is very much still a top-tier difference maker in their quarterback power rankings.
Rodgers is set for season No. 20 in the NFL, with last season unceremoniously cut short due to an Achilles injury in Week 1. If Rodgers can bounce back, then the Jets can and should be a playoff team.
Can he do it? Will be healthy? If not, then the Jets’ season is likely to be another long one.
There is understandable reason for optimism, however. The defense has a chance to be elite and the offense, if Rodgers is under center, has the potential to be a very good unit.
This is the best Jets roster since 2011 (yes, even better than 2015 when they narrowly missed out on the playoffs). If, and it is a significant if, Rodgers can stay healthy then this team should go far.
PFF has Rodgers as eighth in their ranking of NFL quarterbacks. Is this a fair placement?
After noting last season’s injury, PFF had this to say about Rodgers:
“But if you don’t take the toll of Father Time too far into consideration, Rodgers won MVP in 2020 and 2021, so just one season of play separates him from that back-to-back run. If he’s fully healthy, he has to remain a top-10 quarterback heading into the year. His resume demands it until we see otherwise.”
Rodgers is the second-highest-ranked quarterback in the AFC East, only trailing the Buffalo Bills‘ Josh Allen (fourth in the PFF rankings).
