It isn’t often that draft speculation begins before Halloween.
But that’s precisely where things are with the Jets through eight games.
Not only is Gang Green 2-6 and last place in the AFC East, but the team is also on a five-game losing streak. The first question the Jets will need to answer next offseason is what happens next with Aaron Rodgers.
Following his season-ending Achilles injury in 2023, Rodgers, 40, has looked like a shell of the four-time NFL MVP he was during his 18 seasons with the Packers. Not only is Rodgers struggling with accuracy at times, but he is also immobile, and the Jets’ offense has struggled because of it.
If the 2025 NFL Draft were held today, the Jets would select fourth. So they would be within range of the top quarterbacks in this year’s class.
“I think it is TBD [to be determined] on where they could go at quarterback,” ESPN college football and NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid told the Daily News. “I think the big question is whether [Jets general manager] Joe Douglas returns. If I had to say so, probably not right now, based on how the team has turned out.
“There’s two guys I feel comfortable about taking in the first round right now. The first one is Cam Ward from Miami. We’ve seen what he’s been able to do this year. He’s firmly in the Heisman race and has really transcended everything that they have done.”
Since transferring from Washington State last offseason, Ward has been the nation’s best quarterback this season. In eight games, Ward has passed for 2,746 yards, 24 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He has also helped Miami to an 8-0 record and a top-five ranking.
Ward is a natural passer with the arm talent to make every throw on the NFL level. He is also an accurate passer with a cool, calm demeanor that can withstand any situation.
However, Ward is not the consensus No. 1 quarterback in the 2025 draft class. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders also has a chance to be the first quarterback taken and could be an option for the Jets.
Sanders has excellent ball placement skills and can extend plays using his legs inside and out of the pocket. He is used to playing with a less-than-ideal pocket because the Buffaloes do not have a good offensive line. But that has not prevented Sandera from making tough, downfield throws in critical moments.
“He has done a really good job this season,” Reid said. “Really poised, very accurate. The upside is going to be the biggest thing with Shedeur because he has a lot of good traits, but he doesn’t have that one singular trait that you would call elite. He has some other areas he has to develop as well.”
It is tough to determine the Jets’ path with Rodgers and the rest of the roster. Owner Woody Johnson has already fired Robert Saleh, and Douglas is in the final year of his contract, so the Jets could be in rebuild mode.
Gang Green is projected to have $51.3 million in salary cap space in 2025, which would be 15th in projected cap space. That number is deceiving because Davante Adams, who the Jets traded for on Oct. 15.
Adams is on the books for $35.6 million, which is non-guaranteed. If Rodgers retires or doesn’t return, Adams would probably be gone as well, giving the Jets close to $80 million in salary cap space.
The cap charge if the Jets release Rodgers would be $49 million, reducing the Jets cap room by $25.5 million, according to Over The Cap. If Rodgers were to retire or the Jets decided to release him, they could designate him with a June 1, dividing his cap hit over the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
If the Jets aren’t in range or decide to run it back again with Rodgers, Adams, and a bulk of their roster, cornerback and tackle could both be potential options in next year’s draft. However, edge rushers will likely be targeted in the first round, with all the talented players eligible for the draft.
Haason Reddick will be a free agent after the season, and Jermaine Johnson will be coming off an Achilles injury he suffered in Week 2. Plus, Johnson could be in the final season of his contract if the Jets do not exercise his fifth-year option by next May.
Although there are some questions about the quarterback talent in this year’s draft, the pass rushers in this year’s class appear to be an upgrade from a year ago.
“This is one of the better position groups in the entire draft,” Reid said. “I think we could see as many as five or six of those guys go in the first round, if not more.
“My top one is Abdul Carter from Penn State, and he transitioned from off-ball linebacker to defensive end. It was a little bit of a slow start from him, but over the past three or four weeks, he has really started to come on. He could end up being a top-five or a top-10 pick.
“Another would be James Pearce Jr. from Tennessee. He’s a little bit undersized at 6-5, 240 pounds, but he’s one of the more explosive rushers in this year’s draft class.
“The next one, who I actually had mock to the Jets, is Nic Scourton from Texas A&M. 6-4, 285 pounds, and he can play any position inside and outside, and he just wreaks havoc no matter where he is, and he just turned 20-years-old in August. He’s a really young prospect.”
