Top ESPN Insiders Float Major Cap-Related Question For Rebuilding Jets

From a salary cap perspective, the New York Jets are in a weird spot.

Per Over the Cap, the Jets entered the offseason ranked 21st in cap space at $16.8 million under the threshold. That isn't great, but it isn't terrible, either. Of course, much of New York's cap space is taken up by quarterback Aaron Rodgers and receiver Davante Adams, both of whom are expected to leave the Jets this offseason.

ESPN NFL insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano focused on Rodgers and Adams in the Jets section of their cap-focused piece published Wednesday.

"What will be the cap impact of moving on from Aaron Rodgers?" the two insiders asked at the beginning of Jets blurb. "Due to leftover signing bonus proration from previous contracts and restructures, cutting Rodgers will result in $49 million worth of dead salary cap charges for the Jets. They could either take all of that this year and be done with it, or they could designate him a post-June 1 cut and take $14 million in dead cap charges this year and the remaining $35 million in 2026. If the Jets did the latter, they'd have to carry Rodgers' 2025 cap charge of $23.5 million on their budget until June 2, though he'd be free to sign with another team in the meantime.

"If the Jets had decided to keep him this season and cut him next offseason, they would take on $63 million in dead money -- which makes moving on from Rodgers this offseason even more of a no-brainer. He threw 28 touchdown passes in 2024, but his 48.0 QBR ranked 25th in the league."

What the future holds for Rodgers and Adams remains to be seen. Rodgers reportedly intends to continue playing -- if any team wants him -- and Adams likely would have many suitors if he hits the open market.

One potential team to watch if New York releases Adams: the New England Patriots.

More NFL: Davante Adams To Patriots? New Report Opens Door For Jets Disaster