Jets Insider: Aaron Rodgers' Exit 'Greatly Increases the Chances' Garrett Wilson Stays

The end of the Aaron Rodgers era for the New York Jets means the Garrett Wilson era may just be getting started for the AFC East team.

ESPN's Rich Cimini reported Sunday that "Rodgers' departure greatly increases the chances of Garrett Wilson's return."

The update comes after the Jets announced Thursday they met with the veteran quarterback and informed him they were moving on heading into the 2025 campaign. It brought the end of a tumultuous two seasons that saw Rodgers appear in just one game because of an Achilles injury in 2023 and then go 5-12 as a starter in 2024.

As for Wilson, Cimini highlighted the apparent "tension" in the receiver's relationship with Rodgers that began "with heated conversations on the field in training camp" and then "bubbled up late in the season, fueling speculation that Wilson might ask for a trade."

Wilson took a step back in the offense after New York traded for Davante Adams, who previously played with Rodgers on the Green Bay Packers. Cimini noted Adams saw 112 overall targets and 21 red-zone targets compared to Wilson's 87 targets and 11 red-zone targets in 11 games together.

Keeping Wilson, 24, is more important to the Jets' long-term future than keeping the 41-year-old Rodgers.

After all, the Ohio State product has an Offensive Rookie of the Year and three straight seasons of more than 1,000 receiving yards to start his career after he was the No. 10 overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft.

He is a building block at a key offensive position and someone who can help ease the transition to the next quarterback in 2025 and beyond.

That will eventually require a new contract, as he is entering the final year of his deal before a club option in 2026. He has also outplayed his current contract that is set to pay him $1.1 million in base salary next season.

It seems like Wilson will be more likely to sign a long-term extension now that Rodgers is gone, which makes him something of a priority during what promises to be a busy offseason in the Big Apple.