- The New York Jets have opened the 21-day practice window for QB Aaron Rodgers.
- Rodgers returning to practice is a stunning development in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon.
- Rodgers’ Comeback Player of the Year odds have skyrocketed on the news that he is eyeing a return to the field in December.
Less than three months after tearing his Achilles tendon, QB Aaron Rodgers returned to practice as the New York Jets have opened the 21-day window to decide if they will activate him from injured reserve. Rodgers suffered the gruesome injury on the Jets’ fourth offensive play of the season against the Buffalo Bills.
In April, the four-time NFL MVP was acquired in a trade with the Green Bay Packers. It only took four plays into his tenure with the Jets before concerns regarding Rodgers’ career took hold of headlines across the league.
At the time, it was considered a guarantee that Rodgers was lost for the 2023-24 season. In fact, there were some NFL pundits that raised the possibility that Rodgers’ NFL career was in danger. For such a significant injury at 39 years old, it wasn’t unreasonable to believe that Rodgers was facing an uphill battle.
21-Day Practice Window Open For Rodgers
There are some important details to keep in mind regarding Rodgers’ potential return to the football field this season. The 21-day window is only for returning to the practice field to see if he’s healthy enough to be activated from injured reserve.
So, this does not guarantee a return to the Jets’ active roster within this timeframe. He can, however, return to practice and get a feel for how his ankle holds up in a practice environment with his teammates.
“I think the step is just getting back onto the field and doing some more real football things,” Rodgers said in comments to ESPN on Tuesday. “Throw to my teammates and go through some individual part of practice. I think will be kind of the next step to see where my lateral movement is like, and after going through some of these football-related moves, how do I respond? How does my leg respond to that?”
Rodgers added on The Pat McAfee Show that a return to game action would depend on his health and if the Jets are in playoff contention. Jets fans are excited about the prospect of having Rodgers back on the field this season, but there are still obstacles to clear despite returning from the IR.
The Jets’ offense has been in dire straits with Rodgers sidelined. Head coach Robert Saleh went to Zach Wilson after Rodgers’ injury. However, Wilson was benched after passing for 1,944 yards, six touchdowns, and seven interceptions with a 73.8 QB rating through 10 games.
Tim Boyle replaced Wilson, but hasn’t played much better. In two games, Boyle has thrown one touchdown and three interceptions in appearances against the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. There is no vertical passing game for the Jets in the absence of Rodgers.
Regardless of who is starting at QB, they all have to contend with a struggling offensive line. The Jets have yielded 4.3 sacks per game for 30th in the NFL. Marred with poor QB play and a sub-par offensive line, the Jets are 4-7 through Week 12.
If Rodgers returns, he will have to accept that he will be under tremendous pressure behind the same offensive line that allowed the injury in September.
Rodgers Defying The Odds
Shortly after Bills’ defensive end Leonard Floyd sacked Aaron Rodgers, Bovada released prop bets on his future. The veteran QB had +300 odds of retiring before Week 1 of the 2024-25 NFL season.
At +300, Rodgers had an implied probability of 25 percent to retire before next season. However, as it stands right now, there is a higher probability that Rodgers will be starting a game in the 2023-24 season than retiring next year.
Furthermore, the return of Rodgers has shaken up the 2023-24 NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds as well. Rodgers’ Comeback Player of the Year odds have jumped from +3000 earlier this month to +1400 at the time of writing.
