National Football League

Will Aaron Rodgers return this season even if Jets are out of playoff hunt?

Published Nov. 22, 2023 2:17 p.m. ET

The New York Jets' decision to start Tim Boyle over Zach Wilson this week might be viewed as a short-term move as they hope to get Aaron Rodgers back soon. It also might be too little, too late.

Boyle is being tabbed to start at quarterback for the first time this season when the Jets host the Miami Dolphins on Black Friday, getting the nod after replacing Wilson in the team's blowout loss to the Bills on Sunday to fall to 4-6. The decision obviously has multiple layers, with Wilson continuing to struggle this season and a possible Rodgers return from his torn Achilles looming. The four-time NFL MVP is eyeing a return to practice as soon as Dec. 2, NFL on FOX insider Jay Glazer reported Sunday.

Fellow NFL on FOX insider Peter Schrager said the Jets' decision to make the QB switch is "interesting timing," largely because of the Rodgers situation.

"If you were going to make a switch, maybe two weeks ago was the time to make the switch," Schrager said on the "NFL on FOX" digital show, going back to when New York was 4-4. "You've got this looming Rodgers storyline. … They do hope to get Rodgers back. Aaron Rodgers wants to come back. ... I've heard the Christmas Eve game against the Washington Commanders at home is a target for Rodgers. Who knows, maybe even sooner."

The Jets have four games before Christmas Eve, including two against the Dolphins and one with the upstart Texans. It's possible that New York will be 4-10 by Christmas Eve.

Obviously, the Jets would be well out of playoff contention if that were to happen, but Schrager thinks that Rodgers might play regardless, noting that the futures of many in the organization could hinge on the quarterback.

"Are we sure the coaching staff is going to be there when Rodgers wants to come back next year? Is this one those, ‘Hey, let me get in here and show we can keep this thing together?'" Schrager said. "Make no mistake about this: Nathaniel Hackett is an Aaron Rodgers guy. Allen Lazard is an Aaron Rodgers guy. Billy Turner is an Aaron Rodgers guy. Randall Cobb is an Aaron Rodgers guy. In a lot of ways, Tim Boyle is an Aaron Rodgers guy. There's a Rodgers fingerprint on everything the Jets are going to do."

As Schrager noted, the Jets made a major investment in Rodgers when they acquired him from the Packers this past offseason, giving up a second-round pick in 2023, a conditional second-round pick in 2024, a first-round pick swap and a sixth-round pick. General manager Joe Douglas' decision to heavily invest in Rodgers obviously hasn't paid off at this point, and head coach Robert Saleh's insistence on keeping Wilson as the team's starting quarterback for much of the season might have made matters worse for the 2023 Jets.

Can New York's third-string QB keep the team in playoff contention?

But Schrager doesn't believe either is on the hot seat.

"I don't think they want to fire any of these guys, and I don't think they want to have to go into another rebuild mode," Schrager said. "I think the expectation was that Rodgers was going to be there and the offensive line would be healthy. Both of those things were immediately taken off the table. The offensive line is one of the worst in football. The guys playing right now are trying their hardest, but we're talking third-string across the board. Mekhi Becton goes down with an injury this week and Becton was playing awesome this year. That's been an underrated storyline, well above expectation.

"I think it's a mulligan."

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

If Douglas and Saleh's jobs are safe, it's understandable to think that they won't be incentivized to play Rodgers in the final few games of the season if the Jets are out of the playoff race. But that choice could be out of their hands.

"Do you put Aaron Rodgers out there behind that offensive line in games that are seemingly meaningless as far as the playoffs go but individually are important to him? That's going to be an interesting debate," Schrager said. "I don't think they want to cross that road where the games are meaningless, but there's a chance that there are more of these when we get to Christmas Eve or New Year's weekend that the Jets are irrelevant in the playoff picture.

"But Rodgers is steadfast in wanting to see the field. … If he wants to get back on that field, who from that Jets organization is going to say no to Aaron Rodgers?"