Jets Named Top Suitor For 25-Year-Old Aaron Rodgers Successor

Will the Jets go in a different direction this offseason?

Dec 29, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) warms up prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

If the New York Jets want to make a change at quarterback this offseason it will be pretty tough.

Future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers is under contract and has a massive $49 million dead cap number. There's been a lot of chatter about Rodgers' future, but if he decides to play, it seems likely that he will be back if he wants to be. It wouldn't be easy to just go in a different direction.

Rodgers first has to make a decision about whether or not to retire. From there, the Jets need to work with him to chart a path forward. Do they run it back for one more year? If neither side wants to do that, is there a way to make a separation easier? All in all, that will be a decision for whoever gets the general manager job to handle.

If the Jets end up being in the market for another quarterback, though, Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron called New York the best landing spot for former Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields.

"Best Landing Spot: New York Jets," Cameron said. "Overall Free-Agent Rank: 19. Despite ceding starting duties to Russell Wilson after leading the Steelers to a 4-2 record in 2024, Fields showed marked improvement. Through the first month of the year, the 25-year-old quarterback generated a 78.0 PFF passing grade, a mark that could have paced his career high.

"The Jets are amidst an overhaul of football operations, searching for a general manager and head coach while also trying to navigate a strenuous situation under center. Aaron Rodgers’ future is very much in limbo. But, his $49 million dead cap hit in 2025 gives him significant leverage in those discussions. If New York hopes to move on from the veteran, it will have to eat that bill; leaving the team with little left over to negotiate for another passer."

Fields is just 25 years old and would be a great successor to Rodgers if the team decided to go in a different direction. He's young enough that the team could try to find a way to build around him. Plus, he likely wouldn't be extremely expensive after being on the bench for much of the 2024 season.

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