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What Aaron Rodgers’ Pay Cut Means For The New York Jets

FLORHAM PARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 26: New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers poses with a jersey during an introductory press conference at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on April 26, 2023 in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The New York Jets announced Wednesday that they were giving quarterback Aaron Rodgers a restructured contract. Instead of making $1.1 million in 2023 and $107 million in 2024, he will now make $75 million in a more even fashion over the next two years with the team.

“The team gave up significant pieces for it to be just a one-year deal,” Rodgers said after the announcement. “I’m aware of that. … Anything could happen with my body or the success we have this year, but I’m having a blast, so I really don’t see this as a one-year-and-done thing.”

With Rodgers’ new contract, which was always planned after the Jets acquired the quarterback from Green Bay, New York now has far more flexibility under the salary cap over the next two seasons. The team can better maintain its core of young players, key assets that convinced Rodgers to come in the first place.

In addition to rising offensive stars like Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, the Jets also have young talent on defense like Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, who the team just re-signed to a massive four-year, $96 million deal. Many of the team’s young players still have several years before New York has to decide whether to pay them like Williams, but Rodgers’ new deal will make future negotiations more feasible.

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In training camp, Rodgers has already made an impact, demonstrating that he still has something left going into his 19th season in the NFL. A clip of a touchdown he threw to Wilson has already gone viral, and head coach Robert Saleh had choice words for his new passer earlier this week.

“I mean, the guy glows in the dark,” Saleh said. “He’s a pretty damn good quarterback.”

Last season, the Jets began the season with a 6-3 record but struggles at quarterback cost them a postseason berth. The team went to great lengths to secure Rodgers, including signing many of his former coaches and teammates from Green Bay. There were sparks of success last season under Saleh, and with a premier quarterback in town, expectations are even higher in 2023.