With the Super Bowl over, we are officially finished with the 2024 NFL season. This was a season in which the New York Jets came in with a lot of hype, only for it to be the same as usual. It was a complete mess for the Jets.
The team will look to put this disappointing season in the past as its offseason officially begins. It will be led by new head coach Aaron Glenn and new general manager Darren Mougey.
New York’s offseason has already kicked off with major headlines. FOX’s Jay Glazer reported that quarterback Aaron Rodgers would not be back with the team next season, as the Jets reportedly decided that decision. Nothing has been confirmed yet, but Glazer has a good reputation for getting his scoops correct.
I think this could be a mistake by New York. I understand Glenn wants to create a new culture, and ideally, you can’t do that with a quarterback like Rodgers, who isn’t MVP Rodgers anymore. On top of the fact that Rodgers’ cap hit is humongous, it’s understandable why you would rip the band-aid off and move on.
The problem is that the Jets don’t have many appealing options to replace Rodgers, who had a good final stretch to the season and could have built on that going into next season. Will you pay for a reunion with Sam Darnold, who had a complete meltdown in his final two games? The draft class isn’t that deep with potential franchise quarterbacks, and they are not in a position to get the top two prospects.
What will the plan be? Draft a quarterback, and then start Tyrod Taylor as a bridge starter? In my opinion, you might as well tell all your fans to take the season off if you start Tyrod Taylor in 2025.
That is a move of punting on the season and looking to rebuild. This doesn’t make sense for the Jets, given their current roster. They have a sneaky, promising offensive line and star-skill players in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. The defense should bounce back from this past season with All-Pro players like Quinnen Williams, Sauce Gardner, and Quincy Williams. The Jets have a roster that can compete right now. They just didn’t have the right staff leading this team. If Glenn is the right man for the job, he can win with this current roster.
I believe Rodgers can still play at a winning quarterback level, especially with this roster. Plus, if you keep Rodgers, you most likely keep Davante Adams. You would get an entire season of Wilson and Adams as wide receivers. Taylor is not a better option than Rodgers, and I hope that if you move on from Rodgers, you will have a better plan than Taylor. If not, that, to me, would be an embarrassment to this franchise. You have stars on this team wanting to win; give them the best chance. Don’t punt on a season just because you believe the entire organization needs a culture change. Change the culture by winning.
As we head into the offseason, the Jets have some of their own pending free agents to decide whether they will re-sign them. Here is my belief on what the Jets should do with some key players.
D.J. Reed: Walk
Reed has had a solid tenure with the Jets but declined towards the end of this year. He will be 29 next season, which, for a cornerback, means getting to the old stages of your career. Plus, he even said himself that he looks forward to testing the market.
Haason Reddick: Walk
It’s a no-brainer here, really. This was a disastrous trade for the Jets that did not work at all. Reddick held out for the first half of the season, and even when he played, he did not contribute the way you would expect. I imagine Jets fans will be happy to see him gone.
Tyler Conklin: Keep
Conklin is a fine tight end and can be a serviceable player. The key here is you should be bringing Conklin back to be a good second tight end. Regardless of what you do with Conklin, the Jets must bring in a viable upgrade to be the starting tight end. As a backup tight end, though, Conklin can be good and should be brought back for the right price.
Tryon Smith: Walk
There is not much to say here. Smith was not the same All-Pro player he once was this season. He couldn’t stay healthy, and you have your starting left tackle in Olu Fashanu.
Morgan Moses: Keep
Unless you can get an upgrade here, which I don’t think the Jets can do, they must sign back Moses. He is the starting right tackle for this team and a quality player. I don’t see them getting an upgrade over him, so it feels like this is a must-signing for New York. If you bring back Moses, your offensive line is set for next year. They won’t have to worry about any other moves on the line. They will have their five starting offensive linemen, and I believe it is a good unit.
Davante Adams will most likely be cut if Rodgers does not return to the Jets, though if they can somehow convince him to stay and rework his contract, I think that would be beneficial for the Jets and something they should look into.
Regarding the questions surrounding C.J. Mosley’s future with the Jets, the Jets should keep him unless he retires. He is a leader in the locker room and the captain of the defense. There isn’t a cap benefit to cutting him, so Mosley should be in New York for another season unless he chooses to retire.
