When the NY Jets acquired Aaron Rodgers in the spring of 2023, they believed they were trading for one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. The expectation was that Rodgers would open up a legitimate Super Bowl window for a franchise that hadn't made the playoffs in over a decade.
But less than two years later, the reality has set in. Rodgers is a shell of his former self, not aided by a torn Achilles that caused him to miss the entirety of his first year with the franchise.
It's gotten to the point where his opposition is well aware of that fact too. Take it from Patriots defensive lineman Davon Godchaux, who provided a telling quote when asked about Rodgers following his team's 25-22 victory over the Jets in Week 8.
Godchaux almost sounded dejected when speaking about the future Hall of Fame quarterback. He pitied Rodgers, insisting it was difficult to watch him play at this stage of his career.
"Hall of Fame quarterback. Hate to see him go out that way. He definitely don't look the same. He kept moving back there ... I could run him down and catch him. He don't look mobile at all. That's good for us."
- Davon Godchaux
NY Jets fans treated to blunt Aaron Rodgers wake-up call in Week 8
Rodgers finished Sunday's game with an impressive stat line. He completed 17-of-28 passes for 233 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 111.2 passer rating.
On paper, that looks like an excellent game. And this isn't to say that Rodgers was bad necessarily in the Jets' Week 8 loss, but his limitations have become increasingly apparent at this point.
As Godchaux notes, Rodgers' mobility is almost completely shot. The four-time MVP struggles to navigate the pocket and panics at the first sign of pressure, either opting to throw the ball away or check it down to an underneath target.
Rodgers is uncomfortable in the pocket and hesitant to throw over the middle of the field or downfield while nursing multiple different injuries. He's playing scared, and it's significantly holding back this Jets offense.
This doesn't mean that Rodgers is the source of the Jets' offensive woes. The team's issues extend far beyond Rodgers, especially given their overall lack of running game and persistent offensive line communication issues.
Rodgers is not the problem, but he's part of it, and it's painfully obvious that he's a shell of the elite quarterback he once was in his prime.
This version of Aaron Rodgers is still good enough to make some gorgeous throws every week. He's still good enough to put up respectable stat lines and play at a near-league-average level.
But he's not the Aaron Rodgers the Jets signed up for. He turns 41 years old in a couple of months and has looked every bit of those 41 years this season. He's not completely washed, but he's approaching that territory. The Achilles injury only served to accelerate the process.
The fans can see it. The analysts can see it. Now, even the Jets' opponents can see it.
