Jason Burgos
While there are many NFL observers who believe Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets could be Super Bowl contenders in 2023, there are some league executives who aren’t as optimistic about their chances of contending this season for one major reason.
One of the biggest storylines in the offseason centered on the New York Jets making the bold decision to make a blockbuster trade for aging future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Rodgers. The pairing seemed like a match made in football heaven since the quarterback’s relationship with the Green Bay Packers had soured in recent years and New York desperately needed a major upgrade at QB.
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Although the four-time NFL MVP is just a few months away from turning 40, he is still seen as an elite-level player at the most important position in the game. Furthermore, he will be supported by a top-shelf defense for one of the few times in his illustrious career. However, the support he will have on offense has some around the league concerned.
NFL execs believe New York Jets offensive line will sink chances in 2023
On Tuesday, The Athletic spoke to a half dozen NFL executives to get their opinions of the league’s 16 AFC teams and ranked them. When it came to the New York Jets, they landed in the seventh spot and there were a few polled that weren’t as high on them as others have been over the last few months.
“I think you have an old Rodgers on a Jets team that was really flawed last year,” one executive who saw the Jets as the ninth-best team in the conference said. “Other than Garrett Wilson, do they have speed on offense? And, by the way, no offensive line play.”
The team’s questionable offensive line was a consistent critique among those pessimistic about New York’s chances this season, even more so than Rodgers’ advanced age.
“I think there is a chance it’s just a disaster,” one executive who ranked the team at five said. “I’ve seen this movie before. They have handed the keys to a descending quarterback and they can’t protect him, but the thing that saves them is, they are still good defensively.”
- Aaron Rodgers stats (2022): 3,695 yards, 26 TD, 12 INT, 91.1 passer rating
On a positive note, an exec polled felt that the combo of Aaron Rodgers and 2022 AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson could be dynamite, especially when combined with a defense that could keep opposing teams under 20 points.
The New York Jets make their season debut against the Buffalo Bills on Monday night with 38-year-old Duane Brown at one tackle spot, disappointing former first-round pick Mekhi Becton on the other side and some questions marks on the interior of their O-line.
