The 2023 NFL off-season had everyone buzzing about the biggest trade on the horizon. Aaron Rodgers’ move to the Jets was practically an open secret, with rumors swirling until they became a reality. Negotiations stretched on for three months and ended with Rodgers’ bittersweet ending with the Packers. Having spent 18 seasons with the Green Bay Packers, a new adventure awaited him.

Although it was emotional for Rodgers, the Jets had other options lined up to fill their quarterback position. The New York team didn’t confirm their move until they explored other QBs on the market. Derek Carr, speaking on the Pardon My Take podcast, spilled some intriguing details about the Jets approaching him after the Raiders cut him loose. He said, “I could’ve signed with the Jets. It just wasn’t the right time for me. There was still like four or five teams I had to hear from. I remember sitting there with Robert Saleh, the Jets Coach, and he’s like, ‘Look man, we’d love to have you. It’s up to you’,”

However, Derek eventually signed a bumper four-year $150 million contract with the Saints on March 6, 2023. Then, a month later, on April 24, the Jets officially brought  Rodgers onboard. Reflecting on both QBs’ performances, NFL analyst Craig Carton, shared his views on The Carton Show, stating, “I’ll take 5 years of Derek Carr over 1 year of Aaron Rodgers.” His comments came after both players had rough first seasons with their respective franchises.

Aaron Rodgers, for whom the Jets dumped other prospective QBs, sustained a season-ending ACL injury just four snaps into the season. This incident put the Jets’ dream of qualifying for the playoffs after the 2010 NFL season into jeopardy. Meanwhile, Derek Carr was a major letdown for the Saints, as they failed to qualify for the playoffs, thereby questioning his capabilities. Nonetheless, the problems at the Jets run deep, with Rodgers’s return not yet confirmed.

Can Aaron Rodgers come back to save the Jets’ upcoming NFL season plans?

Fifty-five years and counting since the last time the Jets made their Super Bowl appearance. Astonishingly, they also hold the current longest playoff drought, which has lasted 13 years. Amid such unwanted records, the Jets are hoping A-Rod can come back and re-pay the trust the New York fans have showered him with, considering his age and injury crisis. To ensure Rodgers played his natural game, which won him four NFL MVP awards, the Jets went ahead and signed his on-field partners, Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard, as wide receivers. However, this move also didn’t pay dividends, as both players failed miserably while Rodgers continued his recovery.

Furthermore, A-Rod convinced the Jets’ owner, Woody Johnson, to hire OC Nathaniel Hackett to address their offensive woes. Surprisingly, this move raised concerns because the Jets landed 31st in total yards and 29th in scoring in the 2023 season. Basically, the Jets have thrown their hat by declaring it a do-or-die season. Even though there is hope that Rodgers’s return will pay off for the Jets, these are tough times for the fans, and they are clinging on to the hope that the veteran QB will save them and bring Super Bowl glory to New York this time around.