Aaron Rodgers Rumors: What NFL Rules Say About How Jets, Other Teams Can Proceed

What's next for the future Hall of Famer?

Jan 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) gestures towards the Miami Dolphins bench during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Aaron Rodgers won't play another game for the New York Jets, but the actual process of his departure could take a while.

On Thursday, the Jets formally announced they'd recently informed Rodgers he'll be released this offseason. It wasn't immediately clear whether Rodgers will continue his career elsewhere or retire.

If Rodgers goes with the former, there will be some NFL rules to keep in mind.

"The Jets will likely designate Rodgers as a June 1 cut, meaning he would have to stay on the roster until the start of the league year (March 12)," ESPN's Rich Cimini wrote on the X platform. "He'd be able to sign elsewhere on March 13."

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport added: "Clarity on what's next for Aaron Rodgers: Per NFL rules, 'If a club announces that they are terminating a vested veteran, other clubs are able to talk to him. No tryout or signing is permitted.' Rodgers won't be officially released until the league year, but talks can happen."

So, this could work similarly to what we saw last offseason with Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos. After the Broncos announced their plan to make Wilson a June 1 cut, the veteran quarterback spoke with interested teams before ultimately signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As for the Jets, it's difficult to guess where they'll go from here at quarterback, but owning the No. 7 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft could help.

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