Aaron Rodgers given a surprising life raft by a team on the NY Jets' schedule

The more time has passed, the less likely it has become that Aaron Rodgers will sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. New York Jets fans certainly aren't losing sleep over this reality as Rodgers could be out of the league entirely for all the fanbase cares.

However, not only could Rodgers play next season, but he now has a golden opportunity to play for a team the Jets are scheduled to face in 2025. After Derek Carr's surprising retirement on Saturday, the New Orleans Saints could be a legitimate destination for the former Jets quarterback.

With the Jets scheduled to play the Saints on the road in 2025, there is suddenly a vested interest for a fanbase that may want to get revenge on the quarterback who failed to live up to expectations for two years.

Aaron Rodgers' career may continue on the Saints after Derek Carr's retirement

The Jets' schedule will be revealed later in the week so fans will soon have an exact idea on when the team will be on the road in the Big Easy. If Rodgers is involved, a rather innocuous game against an NFC South team turns into an emotional matchup.

New Orleans' quarterback room is led by Spencer Rattler and 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough. While there is something to be said about a battle between the two young quarterbacks, it also isn't hard to see the Saints talking themselves into one year of Rodgers to help aid in Shough's development.

Carr's sudden retirement has massive long-term cap implications for the Saints and also helps facilitate a potential Rodgers signing. New Orleans will save roughly $7 million in cap space this season thanks to Carr's retirement. That would give the Saints over $30 million in cap space for the 2025 season based on Over The Cap's projections.

Rodgers was never going to get an expensive contract but the appetite for signing him will be much higher for a team that has additional cap space and a sudden need for a veteran quarterback in the room.

The Saints aren't necessarily in a spot to contend for a Super Bowl but they do play in a wide-open division and have an offensive-minded head coach who isn't going to want to start slow. It may not have worked for the Jets, but the Saints are absolutely in the position to talk themselves into Rodgers and Chris Olave being a dynamic duo that can carry the offense to real success.

All Jets fans can do is sit back and hope it happens. If it does, the team's eventual matchup against the Saints will be circled in permanent marker.