Aaron Rodgers wasn't the only one destined for the New York Jets' injured reserve four plays into the 2023 season.
Having descended upon Las Vegas for the NFL Honors ceremony, Jets owner Woody Johnson offered his emotional response to seeing Rodgers go down mere minutes into his metropolitan career. Johnson's "injury" was, of course, metaphorical, but nonetheless sidelining.
"What does it feel like having your arm chopped off?” Johnson rhetorically replied when asked about his reaction to Rodgers' torn Achilles, per Antwan Staley of the New York Daily News. “That’s about it.”
One look at the Jets' statistical ledgers shows why Johnson's farewell to arms was well-justified: having failed to bolster their passing depth over the offseason, the Jets were forced to turn to first-round washout Zach Wilson, who posted a 4-7 mark as a starter and a 77.2 passer rating, 30th among qualified throwers. Johnson didn't mention Wilson by name but was grimly blunt about Wilson's efforts in substitution.
“We need a backup quarterback,” Johnson said in Staley's report. “We didn’t have one last year.”
The Jets also silently turned a good bit of their roster management over to Rodgers, bringing in several former Packers, including his one-time backup Tim Boyle, into the fold to mixed results.
Time will tell if Johnson has learned from his mistakes: in further expounding on the Jets' upcoming offseason efforts, he implied that any potential additions will carry an offensive focus, as he's been satisfied with a defense that boasts several young elite talents such as Sauce Gardner, Bryce Huff, and Quinnen Williams.
As it stands, the Jets have just over $4.9 million in cap space to spend, though they can get some extra room with some releases. Notable potential backup candidates on the 2024 passing market include Marcus Mariota, Gardner Minshew, Ryan Tannehill, and Tyrod Taylor.
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