Jets Blockbuster Trade Idea Ships $140M Star To Chargers After Aaron Rodgers Decision

The New York Jets have chosen their direction for the coming offseason.

After a dismal 5-12 campaign, new general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn are cleaning house. In a statement published Thursday, Mougey and Glenn said that they had informed quarterback Aaron Rodgers that they would be going a different direction at his position in 2025.

Rodgers will almost certainly be cut with a post-Jun. 1 designation, spreading out his $49 million dead cap hit over two years and making him a free agent as of Mar. 12. But it's not only Rodgers who is almost certainly on his way out.

In October, the Jets traded for star wide receiver and longtime Rodgers teammate Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. Adams, 33, just finished the third year of a $140 million five-year pact, but the Jets can cut him with only an $8 million dead cap hit.

However, Adams is still a very productive receiver, so New York will explore trades before dropping him for nothing. On Thursday, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox speculated that the Los Angeles Chargers could be interested in trading for Adams, granting the Chargers some draft capital in return.

"Realistically, Adams' best landing spot may be with whatever team decides to sign Rodgers as a free agent after his release," Knox wrote. "If we're looking at realistic playoff hopefuls with the cap space to target Adams, though, (the Chargers) make sense."

"The Chargers have $65.6 million in projected cap room and could use a veteran to partner with young wideouts Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston."

Though the Chargers are technically an AFC foe, the Jets won't care where Adams is moved if there's any value to be gained from trading Adams. He racked up 854 yards and seven touchdowns in his 11-game stint in New York, so even though the contract is hefty, Los Angeles might have some interest.

One thing seems inevitable: Adams won't play another down in a Jets uniform. It's going to be a season of new beginnings in East Rutherford, and like Rodgers, Adams could probably use a fresh start somewhere else too.

More NFL: Report: Jets Officially Inform Aaron Rodgers Of Their Intentions To Cut Him