Much has been speculated about the implications of quarterback Aaron Rodgers skipping the New York Jets’ two-day mandatory minicamp due to a “pre-planned trip to Egypt.”
However, former NFL executive Mike Tannenbaum expressed a greater concern during Thursday’s edition of ESPN’s “Get Up.”
Tannenbaum is more worried about Rodgers’ physical condition, considering he missed almost all of last season due to a torn Achilles, an injury he sustained just months before turning 40 in December.
“I’m really curious to see in training camp — we’ll see what he does in the preseason — how quickly he gets rid of the ball in short-area quickness with his feet,” Tannenbaum said. “I’ve been around other quarterbacks… they always talked about losing that little quickness really was the beginning of the end [of their careers]. And that’s something that we really got to watch carefully, really just in a couple of weeks.”
Rodgers’ performance in the 2022 regular season with the Green Bay Packers reflected these concerns. According to Pro Football Reference, Rodgers finished ranked 27th in the NFL among qualified players with a 41.3 adjusted QBR and tied for 18th with a 45.1 passing success rate. His season was marred by a broken thumb on his throwing hand in Week 5 and a rib injury in Week 12.
Despite these setbacks, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported on June 17 that Rodgers “looked like Rodgers on the practice field” during voluntary spring workouts. This has provided some optimism about his return to form.
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ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell added a positive outlook, stating during Thursday’s show that he believes the 2024 Jets can be “a legit Super Bowl contender” if Rodgers and other key contributors remain healthy. This optimism is bolstered by the Jets’ strong defensive performance last season. ESPN stats indicate that the Jets finished the 2023 season ranked third in the league in total defense, allowing just 292.3 yards per game.
Assuming the Jets resolve any contractual issues with star pass-rusher Haason Reddick this summer, their defense should remain formidable.
As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Rodgers as the betting favorite with +125 odds to win the Comeback Player of the Year Award for the upcoming season.
If Rodgers can perform at a high level and stay healthy through Week 18, the Jets have a strong chance to end the longest active postseason drought among the four major North American sports leagues.
This season holds significant promise for the Jets, contingent on the health and performance of their veteran quarterback.
