A 26-yard run from Breece Hall. Back-to-back incompletions. A Leonard Floyd sack for a loss of 10 yards. These were the only four plays Aaron Rodgers ran under center for the Jets in the 2023 season before he tore his Achilles. The foremost acquisition of the Jets’ 2023 offseason, Rodgers was pegged to be the one who would finally bring the Jets back into postseason shape after twelve seasons of being unable to make the playoffs. Instead, the Jets had to deal with the aftermath of Rodgers’ Achilles injury, and they completed 2023 with the same 7-10 record they had in 2022.
They will now enter an offseason packed with uncertainty at the quarterback position.
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What Went Right for the Jets
Garrett Wilson had himself another 1,000-yard receiving season, finishing 2023 with 12 more receptions than he had in 2022. His (and, by extension, the Jets’) best performance of the season came in Week 14 against Houston where he caught nine balls for 108 yards to help the Jets blow away the eventual playoff-bound Texans 30-6.
The Jets’ defense turned in another excellent season, finishing in the front half in multiple categories once again. In perhaps one of their best performances of the year, the Jets closed 2023 by limiting the Patriots to only three points. In breaking their long losing streak against New England, they also became the last team to defeat Bill Belichick in his role as Patriots head coach.
What Went Wrong for the Jets
The quarterback room for the Jets remains as messy as ever. Rodgers went down four plays into his first outing as Jets starter, and then the reins of the offense had to be turned back over to the oft-struggling Zach Wilson. His 11 outings as the Jets’ starter featured him only throwing eight touchdown passes against seven interceptions, recording a 4-7 record along the way. Trevor Siemian and Tim Boyle turned in a combined 2-3 record during their own outings after Wilson was benched twice, but neither of them recorded a positive touchdown to interception ratio. This included a Siemian start in a Week 16 game against Washington where the Jets almost gave away a 27-0 halftime lead.
Team Award Winners
MVP – Breece Hall
Give a call to the second-year player who watched his rookie season end with a torn ACL before it was halfway done. Hall did not miss a game in Year 2, notching 16 starts, and it looked like he did not miss a beat. Although he finished six yards short of his first 1,000-yard rushing season, he added five rushing touchdowns and four through the air. With Hall and Garrett Wilson also having a stellar second season, the Jets have a bright future on offense.
Rookie of the Year – Joe Tippmann
Taken in the second round of the 2023 draft, Tippmann has quickly evolved into a reliable piece of the Jets’ offensive line puzzle. In the 852 offensive snaps he played this season, Tippmann only allowed three sacks and was only called for eight penalties over his 14 starts.
Best Offseason Addition – Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers represents more of what should have been for the Jets in 2023, rather than what he actually did. Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into the season, then spent the rest of it trying to mentor Zach Wilson as his protege, producing mostly mixed results.
By December, however, Rodgers threw the fanbase a potential lifeline by teasing his potential return from the Achilles injury — mostly done through appearances on Pat McAfee‘s show on ESPN — despite the Jets being multiple games below .500 by then. Rodgers was cleared to return to practice, but he eventually clarified it was not at all realistic for him to see the field this season. Indeed, he did not see the field at all.
Biggest Surprise – Quincy Williams
The older brother of Quinnen Williams, Quincy’s play took noticeable steps forward in 2023. He played in all 17 games in 2023, recording his first career interception and fumble recovery along the way. His 139 combined tackles did enough to rank him second amongst Jets defenders. He also earned a nod for his first All-Pro appearance.
Biggest Disappointment – Tim Boyle
In a quarterback room full of disappointments, Tim Boyle may have been the worst of them all. He made two starts on the season, both losses in Weeks 12 and 13, and in those losses, he looked incredibly ineffective. He threw only one touchdown against four interceptions, none worse than the Hail Mary attempt at the end of the opening half in the Jets’ Black Friday contest against the Miami Dolphins, one that Dolphins safety Jevon Holland ran back 99 yards for a touchdown. Wilson ultimately replaced Boyle for Weeks 14 and 15.
One Burning Question
Does Rodgers stay?
The only way any of this will work for the Jets is if Rodgers commits to a second season. Head coach Robert Saleh and his coaching staff will return, including Nathaniel Hackett, the offensive coordinator who helped bring Rodgers back-to-back MVP trophies in 2020 and 2021. With a top-10 draft pick once again, the Jets might need to invest in the offensive line to protect their quarterbacks, regardless of who is under center for Week 1.
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