NFL Insider Advises Against New York Jets "Risky" Bet for 2024 Season

Sports Illustrated's NFL insider advises against betting heavy on the New York Jets' predicted win total for the 2024 NFL season.

Nov 24, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8), on / Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets are bound to improve with four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers at the controls in 2024, but it may not be enough to reach a double-digit win total.

After back-to-back 7-10 seasons, the Jets are hoping to produce 10+ wins for the first time since quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was at the helm in 2015. The oddsmakers have set the opening wagering line at 9.5 wins for the 2024 Jets, and Sports Illustrated writer Gilberto Manzano is advising to pass on the "over."

Apparently, the Jets' offseason moves, which involved replacing three starting offensive linemen and adding receivers Mike Williams and Malachi Corley, are not enough to move the needle for the SI prognosticator. Manzano expressed doubt about New York remaining healthy enough for the length of a rigorous 17-game regular season schedule that kicks off on the road against the Super Bowl runner-up San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.

From SI's Over/Under Predictions for All 32 Teams:

"The Jets went all-in again with Aaron Rodgers, despite how poorly it went last season. New York is gambling by hoping Rodgers, who turns 41 in December, will stay healthy for the bulk of 2024. The Jets did improve the offensive line, but they will also need veteran tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses to stay upright or for rookie Olu Fashanu to make an immediate impact. With a tough schedule and injury concerns, it wouldn’t be wise to take the over here."

As a counter to the SI prediction, the Jets return all the key pieces from the NFL's third-ranked defense and Rodgers presence is an instant upgrade, if even only slightly, over the quarterback carousel that accounted for only 11 passing touchdowns in 2023.

The 40-year-old Rodgers, who appears on the way to a fully successful recovery from the torn Achilles he suffered in last year's season opener, ranks fifth all-time in NFL history with 475 touchdown passes. He publicly recognized everything that's at stake for the Jets, a team that owns the NFL's longest postseason drought at 13 years running.

"If I don't do what I know I'm capable of doing, we're all probably gonna be out of here," said Rodgers at the podium in Florham Park on Tuesday. "I like that kind of pressure though. It's a tough market to play in, it's not for everybody. I relish that opportunity. That's the way the NFL is."