Coach, executive share worrisome assessments of Aaron Rodgers

Shortly after the New York Jets fell to 2-6 via a 25-22 loss at the lowly New England Patriots, Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux said that he felt Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is "struggling right now" and doesn't "look the same" as he did when he earned Most Valuable Player Award honors for the 2021 regular season. 

Several members of the NFL community expanded on Godchaux's take while speaking with The Athletic's Jeff Howe for a piece published Tuesday. 

"(Rodgers is) trying to play as if he’s 10 years younger, and he’s not close to the same player," one unnamed defensive coach explained. "He can still throw it in a clean pocket with the best of the best, (but his) mobility is not the same. He’s jumpy and has missed some throws I’ve never seen him miss." 

Rodgers suffered a broken thumb on his throwing hand in Week 5 of the 2022 season and later played through a rib injury that same campaign. He then famously went down with a torn Achilles just four offensive snaps into the 2023 season. 

According to Pro Football Reference, Rodgers entered Tuesday ranked 23rd in the NFL with a 50.4 adjusted QBR and 21st with an 85.1 passer rating. Over eight games, he's tossed 12 touchdown passes and seven interceptions. 

Meanwhile, ESPN stats show the Jets are 30th in the NFL with an average of 86.1 rushing yards per game and 25th with an average of 18.8 points scored per contest. 

"He needs the run game, play action, screen game more than ever, but that’s not what he wants. He wants to play the way he’s most comfortable," the coach said about Rodgers. "And he doesn’t have the offensive line or skill group to play that way." 

One executive said that "Rodgers' skill erosion is real" coming off such a serious physical setback at the age of 40. 

"Not being able to extend plays with his feet puts a lot of pressure on the offensive line to be firm up the middle and the playmakers to get open quicker," the executive added. "I won’t be surprised if you see more of the screen game being put into their offense." 

A different executive worried that Rodgers "doesn’t realize he’s not the same Aaron he was in 2021." 

One can't help but wonder if the future Hall of Famer will want to run it back with a club that will have a new head coach and that likely will part ways with general manager Joe Douglas in January assuming the Jets don't go on a magical run beginning with Thursday night's home game against the 6-2 Houston Texans.