NFL GM: Aaron Rodgers, Jets' 'Expectations Are Unrealistic' Ahead of 2024 Season

As Aaron Rodgers prepares for what New York Jets fans hope will be a healthy season, at least one general manager in the NFL thinks the team's outlook for 2024 have gotten out of control.

In a survey of coaches and executives about the upcoming season conducted by The Athletic's Jeff Howe, one GM put the Jets as a team that will surprise in a bad way because their "expectations are unrealistic."

The Jets' expectations are hard to figure out because most rational-thinking analysts all say their results will hinge on the health of several key players who don't have a strong track record in that area.

Of course, finding rational thought when it comes to preseason expectations for a team in New York that has one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history is difficult to come by.

Rodgers has to prove he's still capable of playing at a high level at the age of 40 and coming off a torn Achilles. It's been three years since his last great season when he threw for 4,115 yards, 37 touchdowns and won his fourth career MVP award.

In his final season with the Green Bay Packers in 2022, Rodgers finished 26th out of 31 qualified quarterbacks in QBR. Even though that would be a huge upgrade over Zach Wilson, who finished last in QBR in 2023, Jets fans are presumably expecting more from a future Hall of Famer.

The Jets bolstered their offensive line by signing Tyron Smith and trading for Morgan Moses. Smith has missed at least three games every season since 2016. Last season marked the first time he played at least 13 games since 2019.

Moses missed three games due to a shoulder injury in 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens. He was incredibly durable with 134 consecutive games played dating back to 2014 prior to sitting out a Week 5 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers last season.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas did build in contingencies by drafting Olu Fashanu with the No. 11 overall pick if either Smith or Moses misses time.

There are a number of impact skill-position players who can ease the burden on Rodgers. Garrett Wilson has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons playing with arguably the worst quarterback situation. Breece Hall had 1,585 yards from scrimmage and nine total touchdowns last season coming off a torn ACL.

Mike Williams is another major injury risk at wide receiver, but he averaged 83.0 receiving yards per game in three starts for the Los Angeles Chargers before tearing his ACL.

The hallmark for this Jets team under head coach Robert Saleh has been defense. They are still loaded with talent on that side of the ball with Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams and Quincy Williams anchoring things.

Haason Reddick's ongoing holdout is a concern for a team that lost Bryce Huff in free agency. Regardless of what happens with his situation, the Jets need recent first-round picks Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald to take steps forward.

The Jets are talented enough that they don't need all of these things to go right to have a chance at making the playoffs. As long as Rodgers is healthy and plays slightly better than he did in 2022, they have what it takes to be a contender in the AFC.

Fans will get their first look at what the 2024 Jets are capable of when they open the season on Monday night against the reigning NFC champion San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium.