Jets face major quarterback decision in 2025 as the Aaron Rodgers domino effect takes shape

The first domino has fallen in the New York Jets quarterback plan for 2025. The team has made the decision to move on from veteran Aaron Rodgers. Now, there are some details left to figure out—for example, if Rodgers will be released or traded.

But the next big piece of the puzzle is who the next starting quarterback of the Jets will be. So, let's evaluate the main options for head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey.

On the roster

Right now, besides Aaron Rodgers, the Jets have two quarterbacks under contract for 2025. Only one is a realistic option to start: veteran Tyrod Taylor. The 35-year-old player would be the cheapest veteran alternative, as he's slated to make $6 million and count $6.8 million against the salary cap.

Taylor had two appearances for the Jets in 2024, but when he had to play, he was solid. The veteran finished the season completing 17 of 22 passes for 119 yards, and three touchdowns, a 128.6 passer rating.

That obviously happened in a small sample size, and Taylor has an 88.9 passer rating throughout his long NFL career. He's started 58 games, including five for the New York Giants in 2023. However, Taylor only was the preferred starter going into the season between 2015 and 2017 for the Buffalo Bills.

The other quarterback on the roster is Jordan Travis, a 2024 fifth-round pick for the Jets.

Free agency

A natural path for the Jets is to look for another veteran option on the open market. Let's not talk about Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson, because they are non-starters in this situation.

The class is pretty weak, and the best option in a vacuum to be a short-term bridge is Russell Wilson, who is a free agent after starting for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024.

The other Steelers quarterback, though, is the one who offers a bigger upside—but also a lower floor: Justin Fields.

There are other players with starting experience, like Jameis Winston, Carson Wentz, Jacoby Brissett, and Marcus Mariota. But it's hard to be excited about any of these alternatives.

Trade

There are some veterans who can become available via trade. The most obvious name here is Kirk Cousins, who lost the starting job on the Atlanta Falcons to rookie Michael Penix. Cousins is slated to make $27.5 million in 2025, the last part of his guarantees. After that, there are two team options of $45 million in 2026 and 2027. In that regard, Cousins is cheaper than Aaron Rodgers, who would make $37.5 million. But the Falcons want a draft compensation, and the Jets would have to give up capital to acquire a player who had an Achilles injury in 2023 and who will be 37 by Week 1.

Derek Carr is 33, and he was the Plan B when the Jets traded for Rodgers. But there are some questions as well. He will make $40 million in 2025, which is a higher salary than Rodgers would have, and $50 million in 2026. There are no guarantees left, but there's no certainty that the New Orleans Saints would want to trade Carr either.

Draft

If the Jets want a long-term option, the draft is always the way to go. But this is widely considered a weak class, and the Jets won enough to drop them to the seventh overall pick. If Darren Mougey likes any of the prospects, like Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, he will probably have to move up—a risky move for this type of class.

Other options are more like Day 2 prospects, like Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers, and Will Howard. And these ones would probably have to sit a year and develop behind a veteran.

It's not a great offseason for quarterback-needy teams. But this is not exactly an unfamiliar place for the Jets. And they will have to find a solution, even if it's not a definitive one.