How the Dolphins and Jets Compare After the Rodgers Move

Listen to New Yorkers this week and you'd swear the Jets are destined for the Super Bowl.

Add Aaron Rodgers to a 7-10 team that finished last in the AFC East, and the Jets go from division bottom dwellers to favorites, or a pretty unanimous choice among oddsmakers as the second-favorites to win the division in 2023 behind the Buffalo Bills?

Is the buzz about Rodgers all talk?

The best way to analyze it is to break down how the Jets and Dolphins stack up at each position, except special teams (who cares which team has the best kicker and punter).

Quarterback

Out of respect for the four-time MVP, we’ve got to give this to the Jets because Rodgers is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He’s won a championship already and he can still get busy, as he showed Miami last season in the 26-20 come-from-behind victory when he led the Green Bay Packers over a Dolphins team that Tua Tagovailoa led. EDGE: Jets

Running Back

Breece Hall was rumbling last season, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt before suffering a season-ending knee injury seven games into the season. Michael Carter and Zonovan White are solid young backs, but Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and Myles Gaskin all have individually accomplished more than the Jets trio has collectively. Miami averaged 4.32 yards per carry last season to the Jets’ 4.16. EDGE: Dolphins

Receiver/Tight end

Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Corey Davis, Denzel Mims and Mecole Hardman Jr. make up a strong receiver unit. But whatever team possesses the biggest stars at the skill position usually has the most potent passing game. That honor goes to Miami’s Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, two receivers who can beat any opponent deep on every snap. Chosen Anderson, who is 25 receptions shy of 400 in his career and 44 yards away from 5,000 career receiving yards, and Braxton Berrios, a run-after-catch specialist, aren’t slouches themselves. The Jets get a slight edge when it comes to tight ends, but none of these tight ends are impact players. EDGE: Dolphins.

Offensive Line

Both the Dolphins and Jets featured offensive lines that were ravished by injuries last season, and the season before that. We’d be splitting hairs debating which team has the best unit because it would merely be based on projecting whether linemen like Mekhi Becton and Terron Armstead can stay healthy for a full season. The Jets had a better sacks per pass attempt ratio (6.70) than the Dolphins (5.99), and both teams averaged the same amount of rushing yards per game (99.2). Because of the statistical edge, we need to lean toward the Jets. EDGE: Jets

Defensive Line

Quinnen Williams is one of the premier defensive linemen in the NFL, and likely will be paid like one in the coming year. Carl Lawson, who produced 33 tackles and seven sacks last season, is an impactful player as well. But the Dolphins had the fourth-best defense against the run, allowing just 103 rushing yards per game, and that was despite playing without sack leader Emmanuel Ogbah for the second half of the season. The Jets allowed 121 rushing yards per contest. The Jets did finish 10th in sacks per pass attempt, while the Dolphins ranked 22nd. The Jets also ranked 11th in third-down conversions allowed, fourth in red zone efficiency and seventh in goal-to-go situations. Miami was in the back half of the league in all three of those critical defensive categories. EDGE: Jets

Linebacker

Jets inside linebacker C.J. Mosley has an impressive eight seasons on his resume, which trumps anything Jerome Baker and David Long Jr., one of Miami’s top free agent additions this offseason, have accomplished in their careers. But Miami gets the edge at outside linebacker because of the impact Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips could have on the games playing in Vic Fangio’s defense. Phillips and Chubb, who was selected to his second Pro Bowl last season, have the potential to become a top five pass-rushing duo in the NFL. EDGE: Dolphins

Secondary

Sauce Gardner could become the best cornerback in the NFL in a season or two, but he’ll need to dethrone Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard to claim that distinction. Ramsey and Howard collectively have been selected to 10 Pro Bowls. Jevon Holland’s upside helps Miami gain the edge in the secondary because Chuck Clark and Jordan Whitehead would best be described as decent, which is why the Jets likely will upgrade this position in the draft. EDGE: Dolphins

Coaching

Robert Saleh hasn’t come close to producing a winning season (11-23) in his two years with the Jets. Not all of that is his fault considering injuries and inconsistent quarterback play has plagued his team since he became the head coach in 2021. But Mike McDaniel also can blame injuries for holding his team from reaching its potential. The Dolphins deserve the edge in coaching because of Fangio’s addition. When comparing him to Nathaniel Hackett, who had a one-and-done season (4-11) as Fangio’s replacement as head coach in Denver before he was fired, it isn’t close. But Hackett deserves some credit for helping the Jets land Rodgers because of their relationship that stems back to their days together in Green Bay. EDGE: Dolphins