Multiple members of the NFL community said after the New York Jets fell to 2-3 on the season via Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London that the Jets need to reunite quarterback Aaron Rodgers with disgruntled Las Vegas Raiders star wide receiver Davante Adams as soon as possible.
At least one coach "who watched the Jets play Sunday" suggested not having Adams isn't all that's ailing Rodgers this fall.
"You know the slide and then take two steps and then he kicks out of that every time (while with the Green Bay Packers)? He slides, takes two steps and gets sacked now," the coach said about Rodgers during a chat with Mike Sando of The Athletic. "He has to look at the film and be honest with himself and say, 'I’m banged up, not moving that quickly anymore, so throw it away.' More 55-60 percent (completion rate) games, not 70."
Others previously said they felt Rodgers, who turns 41-years-old this December, looked his age during the 2022 season when he suffered a broken thumb on his throwing hand in Week 5 and later went down with a rib injury in Week 12. Rodgers then suffered a torn Achilles four offensive snaps into the 2023 campaign, and SNY's Connor Hughes noted that the future Hall of Famer was dealing with injuries to both of his knees before he was hobbled by a low ankle sprain against Minnesota.
Per Rich Cimini of ESPN, Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters on Monday that "all the preliminary stuff says (Rodgers will) be fine" for the primetime game between the Jets and 3-2 Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 14.
Adams became Rodgers' favorite target when they were teammates with the Packers from 2014 through the 2021 campaign. The New York offense seemingly would be better with Adams as part of the passing attack, but the Jets landing the 31-year-old may not result in Rodgers turning the clock back to the fall of 2021.
"He looked great against (the New England Patriots) a couple weeks ago, but he’s banged up and at 40 can’t accelerate through the B-gap the way he used to," the unnamed coach added about Rodgers.
According to ESPN stats, Rodgers ended the weekend ranked 21st in the league among qualified players with a 49.1 adjusted QBR and 26th with an 81.6 passer rating on the season. He tossed seven touchdown passes and four interceptions over the campaign's first five weeks, but three of those picks came against the Vikings.
It remains to be seen if the Jets will acquire Adams before the Nov. 5 trade deadline. Even if such a deal occurs this week, it seems unlikely Adams would play against the Bills considering he's nursing a hamstring injury that could keep him sidelined through at least next Monday.
