In the span of a week, Aaron Rodgers’ fate in New York has gone from uncertain to sealed. With Joe Douglas out as the team’s general manager, it is almost certain that owner Woody Johnson will look to rebuild with entirely new leadership, including the man under center.

A rumor this week suggests that Johnson called for Rodgers to be benched as early as Week 4, when the team was 2-2 and still had a fighting chance at a playoff spot. Since then, the team has fired head coach Robert Saleh, traded for Davante Adams and ended Hasson Reddick’s holdout. None of it accomplished anything, as the team is now 3-8 and well out of the playoff hunt.

In an attempt to build a winning system around Rodgers, an attempt that has become increasingly desperate and flailing over time, the Jets revealed that Rodgers himself was the common denominator in the team’s misery. No acquisition or termination would have helped matters. The future Hall-of-Famer has simply not performed as advertised, failing one of the youngest and most talented teams in the league. 

Without a new general manager named, it’s very difficult to nail down what the Jets’ 2025 rebuild will look like. The team may not have a chance at a first-round quarterback, which could allow a journeyman like Tyrod Taylor to step in and help the team gather and limp through another season. Taylor is Rodgers’ backup, and was rumored to be Johnson’s preferred choice early this season.

Entering a Week 12 bye, Rodgers said that it would be a good chance to “clear our heads.” Douglas’ termination is sure to keep the team on edge, however, putting the vast majority of players in an uncertain position. No one responsible for acquiring any player on the current roster is still with the team. Changes under a new regime may be dramatic and unforgiving in some areas. It will likely start at quarterback.

Safety Jamal Adams made his first start of the 2024 season for the Tennessee Titans this weekend. The three-time Pro-Bowler is trying to revive his career after suffering injuries in four straight seasons.

In his debut game for Tennessee, Adams took  on the New York Jets, who drafted him in 2017. Despite having extensive issues with the Jets and general manager Joe Douglas in the past, Adams said it feels meaningful to play New York in his return.

“I respect the hell out of the Jets,” Adams said. “They drafted me. I mean, the Jets is tatted on me, man. It’s part of my story. My father was drafted to the Giants, I was drafted to the Jets. My mom is from Yonkers, New York, and I have a lot of family up here. I still have my house there. It is still home.”

Adams spent some of his best years in the league on the Jets, making his first two Pro Bowl appearances with the team in 2018 and 2019. In the former year, his second season in the league, he recorded 115 combined tackles, immediately establishing himself as a star defender.

Going from the Jets to the Seattle Seahawks in 2020, Adams had his most dominant season with 9.5 sacks and 83 combined tackles. Several injuries took their toll in subsequent years, however. Between 2021 and 2023, he only started in 22 games, suffering a torn quad, torn labrum, a concussion and undergoing hip surgery. He was released by Seattle in March.

The Titans signed Adams to a one-year deal in July, but he has had limited time to practice with the team while recovering the aforementioned surgery.  

The Jets beat the Titans 24-17 on Sunday.

The New York Jets’ inherited contract dispute with Haason Reddick has gone quiet, with both sides seemingly digging in as the linebacker seeks a new contract.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas addressed the situation on Wednesday for the first time since Reddick arrived in April, affirming that the team is nowhere close to reaching a new agreement.

“Nothing has changed from our end,” Douglas said. “Obviously a ton of respect for Haason and awaiting his arrival and, you know, looking forward to when he does, he’s going to be welcomed with open arms.”

When the Philadelphia Eagles traded Reddick to the Jets earlier this year, he seemed to be an excellent addition to a stacked New York defense featuring Sauce Gardner, C.J. Mosley and D.J. Reed, among many others. The Jets did not arrange a new deal with Reddick before trading for him, assuming that he would play without agreeing to one. This seems to have been an error, as Reddick reported to team facilities soon after but has not interacted with the staff since.

With the regular season fast approaching, it is increasingly unlikely that Reddick will suit up for the Jets in Week 1, if he ever does so. Even under these circumstances, however, Douglas remains hopeful that the trade will ultimately prove beneficial.

“In simple terms, we did talk about an extension,” Douglas told reporters Thursday. “Once one wasn’t agreed upon, we had the conversation, and we felt good about making a trade. Obviously, he came here, reported, had a great day here. Again, we’re just awaiting his arrival.”

If the Jets and Reddick do not come to an agreement, it’s possible that the two-time Pro-Bowler gets traded again, likely to a team willing to extend his contract. In seven NFL seasons, he has amassed 58 sacks and 410 combined tackles, suggesting that he plenty to offer when he is on the field.

The New York Jets drafted quarterback Zach Wilson with the second overall pick Thursday night. The Jets were not able to secure the first pick after pulling off an upset victory in their Week 16 matchup with the Cleveland Browns, allowing the Jacksonville Jaguars to secure the first pick as a result.

While New York was not able to draft Trevor Lawrence, they were able to get Wilson instead. Wilson is excited to play for New York and to become the team’s newest franchise quarterback.

“I can’t wait to represent the city,” Wilson said. The former BYU quarterback is absolutely ready to give it all for the team. “I’m going to give it everything I have, ” the 21-year-old quarterback told the NFL Network after being drafted. “There’s not another team I’d want to play for besides the Jets. I’m going to give it everything I have and we’re gonna be a special team, baby. We’re going for the Super Bowl.”

It will be a breath of fresh air for Jets fans, who have not had a great quarterback or seen the playoffs since 2010. It is especially exhilarating for fans to have a young quarterback who is excited to play for them. General manager Joe Douglas talked about his reasoning for selecting the quarterback. “Decision-making, anticipation, accuracy, playmaking ability, the ability to make plays off-schedule,” Douglas said, stating the qualities the quarterback had that convinced him to pull the trigger on Wilson. Furthermore, the general manager loved the confidence that radiated from Wilson. “Love the confidence, love the energy, love the passion,” Douglas added.

New York further cemented their commitment to the quarterback by moving up in the draft again. The Jets sent their 23rd, 66th and 86th pick to the Minnesota Vikings for the 14th pick and the 143rd pick. Using the 14th pick, New York drafted USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker. Vera-Tucker’s arrival will add protection for the quarterback in the upcoming season. He was touted as the best guard in the draft, and that was one of the reasons the Jets wanted him. “To go up and get a guy like Alijah Vera-Tucker, a player that has started at tackle, has started at guard and has been highly productive at both,” Douglas said. “That versatility and that production is something we really value.”

Vera-Tucker is excited to play for the Jets and protect Wilson. “He’s [Zach Wilson] a guy who’s going to be a game-changer right away,” he said. “Who doesn’t want to block for someone like that? That’s going to be really exciting.”

“I love it,” Tucker explained. “Not every year is going to be the greatest year. I’m going to come in, I know what the Jets fan base is like, I know they’re pretty intense. I love that type of atmosphere. I’m going to come in and embrace it.”