The Aaron Rodgers era lasted just two years in New York.
When he landed in April 2023, the Jets had dreams of returning to the playoffs for the first time in over a decade.
After all, they had just acquired a Super Bowl-winning quarterback, who had already been named the NFL‘s MVP four times during his storied career with the Green Bay Packers.
But despite all that hope, Rodgers‘ tenure in New York produced little on-field success.
He won only six of his 18 starts across two years.
In 2024, the team struggled to a 5-12 record, while head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas — who were instrumental in luring Rodgers across — were fired during the season as the Jets cleaned house.
The less said about the previous year, in which Rodgers suffered an Achilles tendon rupture four snaps into his Week 1 debut, the better.
Come February 2025, less than two years after he had arrived, the Jets moved on from their veteran and are now focused on the 2025 Draft.
Next season, it will be up to Justin Fields to lead the team forward.
In March, New York signed the former Pittsburgh Steelers back-up to a two-year, $40million deal.
Fields, 26, became the biggest free agent to land with the Jets so far under the new duo of rookie head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey.
And on Monday, three more big decisions were confirmed ahead of the upcoming season – decisions that could have a direct impact on Fields.
Glenn and Mougey are preparing to lead the Jets into the 2025 seasonGettyGM Mougey said the team will exercise fifth-year options on all three of their first-round selections from the 2022 NFL Draft.
Fourth overall pick Sauce Gardner, 10th overall pick Garrett Wilson and 26th overall pick Jermaine Johnson II will all remain with New York at least through 2026.
Cornerback Gardner, a two-time First-Team All-Pro who was named the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, will get a guaranteed base salary of $20.1m in 2026.
Wide receiver Wilson, who has surpassed 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons so far, and was the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year will receive a guaranteed $16.8 million.
Despite a promising training camp, Wilson and Rodgers struggled to get on the same page despite the 24-year-old racking up a career high 1,104 yards, 101 receptions and seven touchdowns in 2025.
He will link up with Fields having played alongside the QB during their time at Ohio State.
The Jets have exercised the fifth-year options for both Gardner and WilsonGetty Johnson, also drafted in 2022, will remain in New YorkGettyLinebacker Johnson, who went to the Pro Bowl in 2023, gets a guaranteed $13.4m.
Given all of their first-round picks from 2022 have been hits, the Jets have paid more than $50m to guarantee the trio, and that will no doubt be a boost to Fields.
New York will likely try to negotiate long-term contract extensions with Gardner, Wilson and Johnson in the near future, but even without any additional talks, they will all be with the Jets for two more years.
There is also a chance the team will bring in some quarterback competition for Fields in this week’s draft.
The latest mock draft from NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter has the Jets taking offensive tackle Armand Membou at seventh overall, before turning to defensive tackle Alfred Collins with their second-round, No. 42 pick.
Reuter believes QB Kyle McCord, out of Syracuse, could be heading to New York in the third round.
While this year’s draft isn’t expected to be anywhere near as spectacular as 2022 was for the Jets, there are still some exciting options on the board.
And with the Rodgers experiment in the rearview mirror, there is hope that exercising the fifth-year options for three stars, in addition to drafting well, will help Fields and HC Glenn lead the team to an improved record next season.
Rodgers, meanwhile, is yet to confirm his next move, with at least one NFL team sweating over his future.
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