3 NY Jets expected to follow Aaron Rodgers out the door this offseason

While the NY Jets have yet to make an official decision on the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the overwhelming expectation inside the organization and around the NFL is that the team will part ways with him this offseason.

The Jets will wait to hire a new general manager and head coach before making any major roster decisions, but Rodgers' deteriorating relationship with owner Woody Johnson combined with the financial ramifications of his contract make it pretty likely that the team will move on.

Doing so would set into action a semi-rebuild for the organization. The Jets will start fresh with a new-look roster and coaching staff that's notably void of Rodgers' so-called "buddies" that he brought over from Green Bay.

Moving on from Rodgers would start a domino effect with the rest of the Jets roster. Here are three individuals who would likely follow Rodgers out the door of the Jets cut bait.

The NY Jets will part ways with Aaron Rodgers and his buddies

1. Davante Adams, WR, NY Jets

Let's start with the obvious one. The Jets were rumored to be a trade destination for Davante Adams ever since the team initially acquired Rodgers in the spring of 2023. Those rumors finally came to fruition this past fall.

Adams put up impressive numbers with the Jets and seemed to rekindle some of that magic he had with Rodgers in Green Bay, hauling in 67 catches for 854 yards and seven touchdowns in just 11 games with the team.

Adams is still one of the best wide receivers in the NFL and the Jets would likely love to keep him, but it's not going to be their choice. The six-time Pro Bowler will carry a cap hit of over $38 million into 2025 — a figure the Jets cannot and will not be paying.

The Jets and Adams intentionally left the 2025 and 2026 years of his contract alone when they initially traded for him. This was designed to give both sides a potential out — he has no guaranteed money left — if things went south in 2024.

To keep Adams, the Jets would have to get him to agree to a major contract restructure that would decrease his cap hit. If Adams doesn't want to play for the Jets in 2025, he can simply refuse to restructure his deal, forcing the Jets to either pay him his current contract (they wouldn't) or release him.

The latter is the expected outcome if Rodgers leaves. As for Adams, it's possible he will choose to follow Rodgers to his next destination, but he might also be looking to join a playoff contender. Either way, the Jets won't be that team.

2. Allen Lazard, WR, NY Jets

Adams isn't the only Rodgers wide receiver friend with whom the Jets are expected to part ways. The Jets signed Allen Lazard to a hefty four-year, $44 million contract in 2023, giving him more guaranteed money than any wide receiver that offseason.

That contract has proved to be one of the most disastrous of former general manager Joe Douglas' ill-fated tenure with the organization. Lazard led the NFL in drop rate in both seasons with the Jets, and a short-lived "resurgence" at the beginning of 2024 did little to change the narrative.

Lazard is a Rodgers merchant whose inconsistent hands make him a liability more often than an asset. He's under contract for over $13 million in 2025 and 2026, but the Jets can release him this offseason and save $6.6 million and $8.8 million over the next two years, respectively.

The Jets have been counting down the days to cut Lazard since halfway through his first season with the team. With Rodgers now expected to leave, this one is basically a formality.

3. Nathaniel Hackett, OC, NY Jets

It's easy to forget sometimes that Nathaniel Hackett is technically still employed by the Jets organization. Hackett has been the Jets' offensive coordinator in each of the last two seasons, but he's spent much of 2024 riding the sideline after he was demoted as the team's offensive play-caller.

Passing game coordinator Todd Downing called plays for the Jets every week since Robert Saleh was fired in Week 6. Hackett has maintained his title as OC, but it's hard to say what he actually does at this point.

Either way, with the Jets expected to clean house in their coaching staff, Hackett won't be spared this time around. Saleh and the Jets actually wanted to part ways with Hackett — or at least demote him — last offseason before Rodgers exercised his veto power.

It's worth wondering what's next for Hackett at this stage. He's unlikely to receive another offensive coordinator gig at the NFL level and he could be out of a job entirely if Rodgers opts to retire. Whatever the case, his disastrous two-year tenure with the Jets has come to an end.

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