7 free agents who could follow Aaron Rodgers to the NY Jets

We still don't know if the NY Jets are going to trade for Aaron Rodgers, at least at the time of writing. The Jets and Green Bay Packers should have their answer soon, especially with free agency set to unofficially start in less than 24 hours.

The legal-tampering period of free agency begins at noon ET on Monday, meaning that Rodgers essentially has less than a day to make up his mind. After all, he admitted to the presence of a "time limit" over the weekend.

If the Jets do land Rodgers, there figures to be quite a few free agents who turn their attention to Florham Park. Having a quarterback like Rodgers goes a long way on the recruiting trail.

From former teammates of Rodgers to others who might just want to play with him, let's take a look at seven free agents who could sign with the Jets if an Aaron Rodgers trade happens.

7. The NY Jets could target Adam Thielen

The Minnesota Vikings officially released Adam Thielen this weekend, adding another intriguing veteran name to the free-agent market. At 32 years old (33 in August), Thielen isn't the player he used to be.

The former undrafted free agent hasn't recorded 1,000 yards in a season since 2018 and averaged just 42.1 yards per game in 2022. Still, he's a reliable veteran who can absolutely still be a WR2 or W3 for a team.

The Jets need one of those, especially with Corey Davis expected to join Braxton Berrios as a cap casualty. It's fair to assume that Thielen is looking to compete at this stage of his career — he likely wants to sign on with a contender.

Rodgers and Thielen are notably close friends off the field, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see the longtime Vikings receiver finally catch passes from his former NFC North rival.

6. The NY Jets could target Billy Turner

This one is more of a Nathaniel Hackett connection than an Aaron Rodgers connection, but the point still stands. Billy Turner has spent the last four seasons with Hackett and three of the last four with Rodgers.

The veteran swing tackle started 43 games with the Packers from 2019 to 2021 and started seven games with the Broncos in 2022 in what was an injury-riddled season. Despite his starting experience, he's probably little more than a fringe starter at this stage.

Turner's 56.3 Pro Football Focus grade ranked 70th out of 81 qualified tackles. Still, he's played every offensive line position outside of center in the NFL, with significant experience at both guard spots and right tackle.

The Jets need to revamp their offensive line depth in the offseason, and Turner's connections to both Rodgers and Hackett make him a realistic target.

5. The NY Jets could target Dean Lowry

This is going to be the only defensive player on this list, but it's one that makes plenty of sense. Dean Lowry has been an often overlooked key part of the Packers' defense for the last seven seasons — all seven of which he spent alongside Rodgers.

Lowry is a 6-foot-6, 296-pound defensive tackle who doesn't offer a ton as a pass rusher but is a pretty solid run defender. The former fourth-round pick had the fourth-lowest missed-tackle rate among all qualified interior defensive linemen in the NFL last season, missing just 2.4 percent of his tackles.

On top of that, Lowry is another veteran teammate who Rodgers has pushed for the Packers to re-sign in the past. They certainly appear to have a strong relationship.

The Jets need defensive tackle help this offseason, with Sheldon Rankins, Solomon Thomas, and Nathan Shepherd all set to be free agents. In particular, they need someone who can stop the run. Lowry would help with that.

4. The NY Jets could target Allen Lazard

Allen Lazard received an opportunity to be the Packers' WR1 in 2022 following the departure of Davante Adams. While Lazard proved that he shouldn't be a top target in an offense, he still put together a career year.

The Iowa State product finished with 60 catches for 788 yards and six touchdowns as Green Bay's No. 1 receiver. Now a free agent, Lazard is expected to have a pretty sizable market.

Lazard makes a ton of sense as a replacement for Davis, given his size and similar skill set. He's also hinted at following Rodgers to his next destination.

Don't be surprised if the Jets target Lazard this offseason, even if they don't land Rodgers. But if they do, this one just makes too much sense.

3. The NY Jets could target Odell Beckham Jr.

Odell Beckham is going to have his fair share of options this offseason. The Jets were one of a host of teams to attend his workout on Friday, and it seems as though there's some smoke about him potentially returning to New York.

Sauce Gardner FaceTimed Beckham before his workout, clearly doing his part to recruit the former All-Pro wide receiver. CBS Sports' Josina Anderson hinted at Beckham joining Rodgers and Hackett in New York back in January, and it should be noted that Anderson has long been on top of OBJ news.

If the Jets do trade for Rodgers, they will likely become one of the top landing spots for Beckham. The former Giants receiver hasn't played since Super Bowl LVI when he tore his ACL for the second time, but if healthy, he could still be one of the most dynamic receivers in football.

Medicals will be important here, but if they check out, a Rodgers/Beckham pairing in New York is something to be excited about, especially with Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore already under contract.

2. The NY Jets could target Jamaal Williams

The Jets are already reported to be "very interested" in signing free-agent running back Jamaal Williams once the legal-tampering period begins on Monday. I imagine that will be the case, even if they don't trade for Rodgers.

Still, the Rodgers connection should be noted. Williams spent the first four years of his career in Green Bay, and he made quite the impression on Rodgers and the rest of the Packers' organization.

Williams is one of the more undervalued running backs in football and is coming off a career year in which he topped 1,000 yards and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns. He would be excellent running back depth with Breece Hall still recovering from his torn ACL.

Williams is a rock-solid RB2 for any team, and it would be fun to see him reunite with Rodgers on the Jets.

1. The NY Jets could target Randall Cobb

If the Jets trade for Aaron Rodgers, there is no more likely free agent to sign with the team than Randall Cobb.

Cobb has spent 10 of his 12 NFL seasons catching passes from Rodgers, and at age 32, it's unlikely he wants that to change. The former second-round pick returned to Green Bay in 2021 after two years away and settled into a comfortable role as a depth receiver.

Cobb isn't the dynamic slot receiver he used to be, but he's still a reliable, dependable underneath target who could also double as a punt returner.

Think of Cobb as the Jets' Braxton Berrios replacement. He would be a perfect WR4 who can continue to maximize his chemistry with one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.