The New York Jets fell to the Seattle Seahawks 26-21 on Sunday. The loss was the latest in a season that has been beyond disappointment for the franchise and fans alike. The team was supposed to compete for a division title with a healthy Aaron Rodgers, but it’s clear that was never going to happen. The Rodgers experiment is officially a bust, and now the geriatric quarterback poses a $49 million problem for the team in the offseason.
The Jets will draft a new quarterback with their first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and before that happens, they will hire a new coaching staff. Candidates could include Mike Vrabel, if the organization fancies a smashmouth style, with a tough-as-nails leader at the helm. They could also look at someone like Bobby Slowick, the Houston Texans offensive coordinator, if they feel he would best develop Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders.
New York is slated to have $31 million in cap space at the start of the 2025 league year. It’s enough to add a couple of free agents, but it’s not enough to rebuild a shattered franchise. In order to completely rebuild the team as quickly as possible, the Jets need to flush away Aaron Rodgers and anything associated with him. A big issue in cutting off the head of the snake is the $49 million in dead cap associated with the move.
New York could designate Rodgers as a post-June 1 cut, and he would count as $24.5 million against their cap in 2025 and 2026. Since his scheduled cap hit is $23.5 million, this means the move would subtract $1 million in cap space, but it’s a necessary evil. Three moves that follow will rebuild a bankroll needed to add solid veterans to the team.
After the Jets get rid of Rodgers, they need to get rid of his friends. Allen Lazard has a $13.2 million cap hit next season, but cutting the wide receiver and dividing his dead cap over the next two seasons would save the team $10 million. Lazard has had a fairly productive season, hauling in 30 catches for 412 yards and 5 touchdowns. The team could try and trade him for a 6th or 7th-round pick, but given the headache vs return ratio, it may be easier to just give him a pink slip.
Davante Adams came over for a third-round pick. The team could definitely explore moving him to another team to recoup that pick, and there will be interested parties. He is still a big target with great hands. Shedding him would add another $34 million to their cap space. Ridding the team of Rodgers and his two receivers would not only help the locker room but would give the team $74 million to spend in free agency.
The Jets are building a young and reliable offensive line to open holes for their running game and protect their quarterback. They took Vera-Tucker with the 14th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has been steady but not earth-shattering this year, recording a Pro Football Focus grade of 73.0 (71.4 pass block, 72.3 run block). These are similar numbers to those posted by Michael Onwenu, before the Patriots gave him a 3-year deal for $57 million ($36.5 million guaranteed).
Vera-Tucker is currently on a team option worth $15 million next year, but if the team gave him a deal identical to Onwenu, they would save an extra $5 million towards the cap, giving them nearly $80 million in 2025. Before the Jets add free agents and draft picks, they need to figure out what they want their identity to be and get a coach who can instill such an identity. They have their work cut out for them, but a handful of savvy moves in free agency and the draft could have this team back in the playoffs before you know it.
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