The New York Jets did not have the start to the Aaron Rodgers era that they anticipated, as after four offensive snaps, he left the game with an ankle injury against the Buffalo Bills. While there is no official ruling on the injury, it could be a lot of time that the veteran quarterback is forced to miss.
Update: #Jets QB Aaron Rodgers is feared to have suffered an Achilles injury, per @Schultz_Report
He’ll undergo an MRI tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/M8bbr591h5
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 12, 2023
This Jets team is built to make a Super Bowl run when completely healthy, and if Rodgers is out for an extended time, they will look to perform similarly to the Mark Sanchez team of a decade ago. But what are some realistic options if Rodgers’ injury is a season-ender? Let’s take a look at some options.
Jets Option #1: Drew Brees
Just because a player is retired does not mean they are done for good. It was reported that Drew Brees was ready to sign with the San Francisco 49ers last season if they beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game due to the injuries under center.
Brees would be another veteran leader that makes sense as he is deadly accurate passing the football. However, he has not played since the 2020 season, so a few years out of the league may show a lot of rust, but he would definitely be getting a call here.
Option #2: Carson Wentz
As much as this option stinks of desperateness, Carson Wentz is still just 30 years old and has shown incredible poise to dominate. He was en route to the 2017 NFL MVP before suffering a torn ACL, and that started an “injury-prone” label on him.
Wentz played on three teams over the course of the last three years and has shown some signs of dominance. However, reports of him not connecting with teammates in the locker room could be a cause for concern. It would be interesting to see what happens next for his career and if the Big Apple is his next visit.
Option #3: Matt Ryan
A former NFL MVP joining the New York Jets to Glory sounds like the same script, right? Well, it could happen with Matt Ryan, as he is not under contract with any other team. He struggled for the Indianapolis Colts last season with a 14:13 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 12 games but would be a solid candidate to be in the quarterback room if Rodgers is unable to go.
