Aaron Rodgers has failed to take advantage of a good NY Jets offensive line

Former NY Jets general manager Joe Douglas spent his entire tenure trying to fix two positions: quarterback and the offensive line. After years of whiffing on both, the hope was that Aaron Rodgers and a new-look offensive line would finally solve the Jets' problems with both position groups.

Douglas may not be around any longer to reap the rewards, but he did accomplish one of those feats. The Jets have a good offensive line. Despite what some fans might seem to insist, the offensive line has been one of the most notable strengths of the Jets' roster in 2024.

The same can't be said for Rodgers. While the four-time MVP has looked healthier in recent weeks, his overall performance this season has been a massive disappointment.

The Jets are receiving some of the best offensive line play they have in years and their aging quarterback has been unable to take advantage of it. Let's take a closer look at some of the numbers.

Aaron Rodgers hasn't capitalized on a good NY Jets offensive line

The chart below depicts how often quarterbacks have been the beneficiary of a clean pocket this season and what their overall EPA has been in those situations. Rodgers doesn't fare very well.

Only three quarterbacks in the NFL have been given a clean pocket at a higher rate than Rodgers in 2024. Despite this, Rodgers has one of the lowest EPAs among qualified quarterbacks when throwing from a clean pocket.

Some of this could be attributed to Rodgers' quick time to throw. Only Tua Tagovailoa and Kirk Cousins are getting rid of the ball quicker than Rodgers this season. But there's other context to consider as well.

Rodgers' age and lack of mobility have been a detriment to his offensive line. The future Hall of Famer has the sixth-highest pressure-to-sack rate among qualified quarterbacks. Many of the pressures and sacks "allowed" by the Jets' offensive line can actually be attributed to Rodgers himself.

The Jets have had roughly a league-average offensive line in 2024 by pretty much every metric. They rank 14th in overall Pro Football Focus pass-block grade and 15th in PFF run-block grade. They're also middle of the pack in total sacks and pressures allowed.

To the average viewer, it might seem as though the offensive line has been underwhelming, but much of that falls on the shoulders of Rodgers. His 77.1 adjusted completion percentage from a clean pocket ranks 20th among 26 qualifiers despite having one of the lowest average target depth.

The film supports the numbers. Rodgers has frequently been hesitant to throw the ball downfield or over the middle of the field this season. Even when given time to throw, Rodgers has routinely failed to capitalize on the opportunity.

John Simpson, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Joe Tippmann have combined to form one of the better interior offensive line trios in the NFL this season. Simpson is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season while Vera-Tucker and Tippmann have both been excellent in their own right.

Rookie Olu Fashanu has stepped in and provided above-average left tackle play since taking over for Tyron Smith. Morgan Moses has mostly played at a league-average level while fighting through injuries. The only struggles in recent weeks have come when Max Mitchell or Carter Warren have been thrust into action.

When healthy, the Jets have legitimately had an above-average offensive line this season. Breece Hall averaged over 5.0 yards per carry over his final five games before his recent injury. Even the Jets' running game was starting to capitalize.

Unfortunately, their aging, over-the-hill quarterback has been unable to do the same. The Jets have found a successful formula with their offensive line, one that should help with the roster-building process this offseason.

The Jets might be in search of a new quarterback again in a few months, but they finally fixed their offensive line.

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