Ex-NFL Exec Predicts Aaron Rodgers Decline: QB 'Will Be Hesitant to Hold the Ball'

Even if Aaron Rodgers is fully recovered physically from his torn Achilles, the mental effect of the injury may continue to linger for the New York Jets quarterback.

ESPN's Rich Cimini spoke to a former personnel executive from an AFC team who believes Rodgers "will be hesitant to hold the ball because he wants to avoid contact."

Having a quarterback with a quick release time isn't a bad thing for obvious reasons. He's less likely to be sacked and the opposing defense might be caught out of position early into a play.

But the former exec worried the Jets' opponents may "overplay the short routes and choke the field" for Rodgers if they discover he's telegraphing his strategy in the pocket.

The state of New York's offensive line was a major concern heading into the 2023 season and the worst fears were realized when Rodgers' Achilles injury resulted from him getting brought down for a sack.

The Jets revamped the line by selecting Penn State's Olu Fashanu in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft and adding veterans Tyron Smith, John Simpson and Morgan Moses.

Pro Football Focus' Zoltán Buday ranked the O-line as the fifth-best in the league heading into Week 1, a significant improvement over where it finished 2023.

Rodgers should have a lot more confidence about how much time he'll have in the pocket. Still, it's impossible to know how much he has internalized about his injury. It could be something he continues to consider subconsciously when he's dropping back to pass.