NY Jets expect Aaron Rodgers to be back (with the team) in 2023

NY Jets general manager Joe Douglas met with the media following Tuesday's trade deadline, and he provided an update on quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his continued rehab from injury.

Douglas initially told reporters that the Jets are "expecting Aaron [Rodgers] to be back," leading many to believe that the team anticipates their star quarterback returning to the field this season.

However, Douglas later clarified his comments to make it clear that the Jets expect Rodgers to be back "with the team" soon. There is still no timetable for his expected return, be that in 2023 or 2024.

Douglas' initial comment was immediately taken out of context, with even NFL Network's Ian Rapoport getting fooled. Nonetheless, the Jets do expect Rodgers to be back in the team facility at some point in the near future.

The NY Jets still don't have a timetable for Aaron Rodgers' return from injury

Rodgers has insisted that he remains ahead of schedule in his recovery from the torn Achilles he suffered in Week 1 of this year. The four-time MVP said on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday that he's officially able to walk normally again for the first time since the injury.

Rodgers told McAfee that the next step for him would be jogging. He maintains that his goal is to play again this season, although he has stressed that he has to be feeling 100 percent and that the Jets need to be in playoff contention.

The latter part of those requirements was helped on Sunday after the Jets pulled off a miracle victory over the New York Giants. At 4-3, the Jets remain in the thick of the AFC playoff race as we enter November.

While the team's offensive struggles are notable, the Jets have continued to find ways to win games. The hope would be that if Rodgers were somehow able to return this season, he could offer help to a struggling Jets offense.

For now, having Rodgers back in the facility will provide the team with a major morale boost. Rodgers has been on the sideline wearing a headset in each of the Jets' last two games. The next step is getting him back in the building full-time.

Aaron Rodgers will be back this season...in the Jets' facility, that is. It's anyone's guess as to whether or not he'll return to the field to play.