$160M QB Proposed as Replacement for Jets’ Aaron Rodgers

Getty New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers walking off of the football field after a series.

The New York Jets’ future at the quarterback position is very much up in the air.

Nick Faria, Jets reporter for Athlon Sports, suggested on social media that New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones could be the short-term answer in 2025.

“Just a thought, but what if the Jets move on from [Aaron] Rodgers this offseason, drafted a QB in Rd 1, and signed Daniel Jones to a bridge deal? NY fans might have their heads explode but it’s an interesting hypothetical if the Jets keep losing as well,” Faria said.

A Jets-Jones Pairing Would Be Unpopular Among the Fan-Base

Jones, 27, was just benched by the Giants ahead of Week 12 and he likely has played his final snaps for the organization.

The former Duke product still has two more years remaining on his $160 million contract. However, the Giants can get out of the deal this offseason by cutting him. Moving on would cost them $22 million in dead cap.

In theory, Jones has everything you’d look for in a starting quarterback. He has ideal size (6-foot-5, 230 pounds), smarts (he went to Duke), and has had moments on the football field.

Jones has thrown for 14,582 passing yards, has 70 touchdown passes, and has completed 64.1% of his passes. He can also tote the rock. Jones has 2,179 career rushing yards, with a healthy 5.5 yards per attempt average, and scored 15 times on the ground.

However, what he lacks is consistency and an ability to see the field. Those are two major issues that are hard to overlook.

The Jets Already Have Their Bridge Quarterback on the Roster

What the Jets need is a franchise quarterback – not a bridge quarterback. They already have one of those and he is also a former Giants passer.

This offseason the Jets signed Tyrod Taylor to a two-year deal for $12 million. It gave them Rodgers insurance for 2024 and a potential bridge option in 2025 if they needed it.

If the team is going to move on from Rodgers this offseason, it makes sense to go to a guy like Taylor who is already on the team.

The longtime NFL veteran isn’t going to wow you with his individual stats or accolades but he is a professional quarterback. He is a guy who has been around the block having entered the league back in 2011.

Taylor is capable of holding down the fort until you figure out what is next.

The Jets still have rookie Jordan Travis on the roster but we haven’t seen him get any action. He is still on the NFI (non-football-injury list) from his gruesome leg fracture in college.

It wouldn’t be out of this world for the Jets to blow up the team this offseason. Have Taylor as the starter and Travis as the developmental backup.

According to Tankathon, if the 2025 NFL draft started today the Jets would hold the No. 7 overall pick in the first round. That might not be high enough for the team to get a chance to draft a young passer at the top of the draft.

That might leave the Jets’ hands tied. Seven games are remaining for the Jets in the 2024 regular season. If they continue to lose, perhaps a new plan will reveal itself at quarterback.