There are 25 days to go until the Jets kick off the 2024 season in San Francisco against the 49ers. The Jets are currently practicing with the Carolina Panthers ahead of this Saturday’s preseason matchup between the teams. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is ready and healthy. However, a lot of attention is currently being paid to Haason Reddick, a player who hasn’t donned the shoulder pads with the Jets yet, and may never based on his trade request. Also, Allen Lazard is looking a lot better than he did sans Rodgers in 2023, but is the subject of trade rumors. For GM Joe Douglas, it’s important to know when to hold ‘em, and know when to fold ‘em.
Here are this week’s Top 3 Takeaways:
- Rodgers Ready
Aaron Rodgers continues to go through practices and has looked very much like a Super Bowl and MVP-winning quarterback. The key for Rodgers and the Jets this year will be keeping him healthy, which they were only able to do for four plays last season.
Rodgers appeared on the NY sports talk station WFAN this week as part of the Boomer & Gio Morning Show. There were a few key takeaways from the interview that should shed light on how Rodgers is approaching this season and being quarterback for the Jets
- Most importantly, he said his Achilles is feeling good. While this is not a surprise, given he was able to practice toward the end of last year and has been a full participant so far this season, it’s still good to hear from the franchise quarterback.
- Rodgers understands the frustration of Jets fans and wants to bring them a winner. The team has not made the playoffs since 2010, which is the longest active drought in the NFL. Rodgers feels the pressure of delivering wins to the fans.
- He might not appear in the preseason, and that is still okay with him. Rodgers feels good, and stated that as long as he is making the right reactions in practice that is more important. These joint practices are important (against the Carolina Panthers currently), as it gets the team reps against other NFL talent, and is typically less vanilla than what is seen (and put on video) in preseason games.
2. Haason Not Having It
As described in the last Jets Camp Update, Haason Reddick’s holdout continues. The holdout has reached 24 days, and there is no end in sight. Neither side is giving in, and both are looking bad. The situation hit a new low on Monday, as Reddick requested a trade from the Jets. The Jets have said publicly that they are not going to trade him.
When Reddick was traded to the Jets, he said publicly at his introductory press conference that he was going to give it his all “no matter what.” Something has changed his mind since April. He continues to build a fine of $50,000 per training camp day that he holds out. That total is about $1.2 million in mandatory fines and another $300,000 in discretionary fines. Those numbers will continue to grow. From Reddick’s perspective, he has outperformed his contract and wants to be rewarded as such. He is in the last year of his contract with a salary of $14.25 million in 2024. A good proxy could be Danielle Hunter of Houston, who signed a two-year/$49 million contract. Reddick has not practiced once with the Jets and only set foot in the building for his physical and press conference.
The Jets knew Reddick’s contract situation when they traded him in the offseason to replace Bryce Huff. However, they still traded for him and it has been reported that they offered Reddick a new contract that he did not accept. The Jets defense, without Reddick (but with Huff) last year was one of the best in the NFL. It is built to make the playoffs and make a run in the playoffs. One of the best pash rushers in the NFL would obviously help. In his absence, Michael Clemons and Will McDonald have received more snaps. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has been complementary of Clemons, saying he could be a three-down player. If that is a message from the team to Reddick is unknown. McDonald is one of the smallest defensive ends in the league, so it will be difficult for him to be on the field all the time.
As a testament to the importance of the situation, Rodgers has now said he plans to reach out to Reddick.
The Jets have released a statement saying they are not trading Reddick. In the Joe Douglas era, there have only been four players (including Reddick) that have requested a trade from the Jets. The other three are former Jets, including Jamal Adams, Denzel Mims, and Elijah Moore.
The holdout continues, and nobody is looking the better for it.
3. Will Lazard Last?
Based on last year’s production, Allen Lazard was looked at as one of the worst Jets free agent signings in recent memory. However, with Rodgers returning this year, Lazard has looked great in camp this year and could be poised for significant comeback year in 2024.
Lazard came to the Jets prior to the 2023 season on a four-year, $44 million contract, after spending his first five seasons in Green Bay with Rodgers. He only appeared in one game for the Packers in 2018, so excluding that year, 2024 set career lows for Lazard in receptions (23), yards (311), touchdowns (1), and first downs (17). Needless to say, he missed having Rodgers as his quarterback.
In 2024, Lazard has looked much better in training camp. One of the highlights of camp so far was Lazard catching a long touchdown off a throw from Rodgers, and then giving the ball to a fan. Of particular interest, the catch was against the coverage of Sauce Gardner. Things seem to be progressing better for Lazard’s production in 2024.
With Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams on the roster, Lazard will not be a starter at wide receiver this season. However, he could be a key depth piece, especially given that Williams is coming off a significant injury. Given he is third on the depth chart at best, at a high salary number, Lazard is mentioned in fairly regular trade rumors. His relationship with Rodgers could play a role in the situation, which would leave him on the Jets roster. Trading him could free up upwards of $10 million in cap space, which could be used on pieces like Reddick or other needs as the team looks to maximize their time with Rodgers.
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