Aaron Rodgers may be on his way out of New York after two years with the Jets that can only be called disappointing, to say the least. After tearing his Achilles tendon on the fourth play of his first drive of the 2023 season and missing the entire year after that, Rodgers in 2024 was nothing short of a bust.
With a total quarterback rating of 48.1, easily the lowest of his career since becoming a starter in 2008, Rodgers threw for 28 touchdowns â lower than all but two of his previous full seasons â and 11 interceptions, a total he has exceeded only twice. The end result â a dismal 5-12 record for the Jets, also the worst for any Rodgers-quarterbacked team over a full season.
A series of off-the-field controversies and questionable behavior did not help his cause with the Jets organization or with fans. So it came as little surprise that, according to a report by The Athletic, the Jets have told Rodgers that they plan to move into 2025 without him.
Jets Have a Vacancy at the Quarterback Spot
The Jets now face two serious questions. The first is what to do with Rodgers. The 41-year old future Hall of Famer and four-time NFL MVP remains for the time being a member of the Jets organization with one year left to go on his three-year, $112.5 million contract.
Just as importantly, new head coach Aaron Glenn and first-year general manager Darren Mougey must figure out who will be taking snaps under center for the Jets in 2025.
With the No. 7 pick in a draft that is generally considered thin on quarterback talent anyway, and the Jets now joining a growing list of NFL teams is dire need of someone to fill the quarterback role, Glenn and Mougey find themselves in a difficult predicament.
The trade market is not rich in quarterbacks either, though the Jets have already been linked to 36-year-old, 13-year veteran Kirk Cousins who will likely be available after being benched by the Atlanta Falcons last season in favor of 2024 first-round draft pick, No. 8 overall, Michael Penix Jr..
But in January, Patrick McAvoy of SI.com made a prediction that seems even more relevant now that Rodgers’ departure has been effectively confirmed. The Jets could look to their longtime AFC East rivals the New England Patriots and target the Patriots rocket-armed, 24-year-old backup quarterback Joe Milton III.
Milton Possesses Elite Athletic Ability
“New England is set for the foreseeable future with Drake Maye as the team’s starting quarterback,” McAvoy wrote. “The Patriots also have young quarterback Joe Milton III on the roster. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft but didn’t see any action until the final game of the season. Milton showed some flashes in the team’s Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills. He finished the game with 241 passing yards, one touchdown pass, 16 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown.
While there may be questions about Milton’s experience and rough edges, no one seriously doubts that he has something that cannot be taught â a level of pure, natural athletic ability rarely seen in a quarterback. Milton is on video launching a pass 80 yards in the air. In his showcase game Week 18 against the Buffalo Bills, Milton went on a run of 10 straight completions capped off by a scrambling, 48-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.
On another scramble, the 6’5″, 246-pound Milton sidearmed another touchdown pass to wide receiver Demario “Pop” Douglas. Though the TD was negated by a penalty, the pass was clocked by NextGen Stats at 61.71 mph, the second-fastest pass ever recorded in the NFL.
Patriots Could Get Second 4th-Round Pick For Milton
“It’s clear that Milton has the frame, athleticism and the arm strength that you want from a quarterback, but he’s not exactly a polished passer,” wrote Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports. “Still, Milton’s upside is evident, and if the Patriots were to make him available via trade, there would be interest.”
Dajani predicted that a Milton trade could return up to a third-round draft pick. The Jets do not own a third-round pick in the 2025 draft, having traded it away to obtain wide receiver Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. They do retain their fourth-round pick, however. If they were to ship that to New England in trade for Milton, the Patriots would then own both the 105th overall pick, which is their own, and the 109th from the Jets.
Acquiring Milton would also give the Jets additional financial flexibility. The former Tennessee Volunteer who was named MVP of the 2023 Orange Bowl is entering the second year of his four-year, $4.2 million rookie contract, and comes with a highly manageable cap hit of just over $1 million.
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