Breaking down the financial impact of the NY Jets’ costly Aaron Rodgers decision

The Aaron Rodgers era is over. The New York Jets officially released the future Hall of Fame quarterback on Wednesday, designating him as a post-June 1st cut after the start of the new league year at 4 pm EST.

The Rodgers chapter in Jets franchise history will always be a tale of what could have been. The four-time MVP brought legitimate Super Bowl aspirations to a Jets franchise that had spent years in the NFL's basement prior to his arrival.

That optimism immediately evaporated once Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into the 2023 season, and by the time he returned from injury the following year, the Jets' window of opportunity had been slammed shut.

The Rodgers experiment was a worthwhile gamble for the Jets, but it couldn’t have gone much worse. In the end, it will be remembered as a costly chapter — both financially and emotionally — in Jets history. But just how costly was it?

How does the Aaron Rodgers release impact the NY Jets' cap situation?

The Jets have designated Rodgers as a post-June 1 cut, allowing them to spread his $49 million cap hit across 2025 and 2026. NFL teams can use up to two post-June 1 cuts per year, and C.J. Mosley is another potential candidate for the Jets once he's presumably released.

This means the Jets will incur a dead cap charge of $21 million for Rodgers until June 1st, when it drops to $14 million. The $7 million difference gets added to his 2026 dead cap hit, bringing that total up to $35 million.

The Jets' other option was to take the full $49 million dead cap hit upfront. While this would have maximized their flexibility in 2026, it would have come at the expense of this year's roster. Instead, they opted to spread the hit over two years, knowing the salary cap will rise next season, making the impact less significant.

So to recap, Rodgers will have a dead cap hit of $14 million in 2025 (technically $21 million until June) and $35 million in 2026. It's a costly move, but one that would've been even more expensive had the Jets waited another year.

Rodgers had a $35 million option bonus in his contract that would have triggered if he remained on the Jets' roster past Week 1 of 2025. Keeping him for another season would have pushed his dead cap hit to $63 million once the team moved on next offseason, as his contract would have expired.

The reason for the massive dead money? Void years, which spread cap charges into future seasons, leaving the Jets on the hook for a significant financial hit.

Instead, the Jets will take a minimal dead cap hit in 2025, and Rodgers will officially be off the books following the 2026 season. Was it worth it? Of course not. But that's the price you have to pay when you swing for the fences and strike out.

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