What Robert Saleh’s Firing Means for Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets as They Prepare for the 2024 NFL Season and Navigate Future Challenges Ahead .giang

The New York Jets sent shock waves through the NFL world Tuesday by firing head coach Robert Saleh. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news, noting it’s the first time during Woody Johnson’s longstanding ownership tenure that the organization has made an in-season coaching change.

With a 2-3 record through the first five weeks and a schedule set to toughen up in the latter half of the campaign, the Jets were running out of time to right the ship. Now that Saleh is out of the picture, there’s some renewed hope that the club can snap an embarrassing 13-year playoff drought—tied for the longest in American pro sports—and make a Super Bowl run before its window with aging quarterback Aaron Rodgers closes.

It won’t be easy to get back on track, but there is reason for optimism in the Big Apple following this much-needed coaching shift.

With that in mind, let’s dive into what the Saleh firing means for Rodgers and the Jets, the potential replacements the team could hire and how New York’s future looks in wake of the move.

The decision to fire Saleh came on the heels of Gang Green’s dismal performance in London this past weekend. The team scored just one touchdown in the first half against a Minnesota Vikings defense that had given up 29 points the previous week and had any hope of a comeback dashed when star quarterback Aaron Rodgers was intercepted on the team’s final drive of an eventual 23-17 defeat.

It’s hardly a surprise that the Jets struggled to move the ball or put points on the board during their trip across the pond.

The Jets never finished above No. 26 in total offense or No. 28 in scoring during Saleh’s tenure as head coach. While a lack of competent signal-callers on the roster was used as an excuse during his first three years at the reins, the team’s dreadful showing with Rodgers under center this year proved a change would be necessary to fix these issues.

With New York ranking a paltry No. 27 in total offense and No. 25 in scoring through five weeks, it was past time to make the move. Even though the Jets defense has remained in the league’s upper echelon—rating top-five in both yards allowed and scores given up this year—the Jets did have the luxury to pad those numbers while facing weaker foes like the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans early on.

While the Jets may take a step back defensively without Saleh—whose fantastic work as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020 was a stepping stone to his first head coaching gig—a new face around Florham Park could provide a massive boost to an offense that direly needs a shot in the arm.

For now, the Jets are set to be led by Jeff Ulbrich. He had been serving as the team’s defensive coordinator since the start of the Saleh era before being promoted to interim head coach in wake of his former boss’ dismissal.

While Ulbrich has performed his duties well and will get a 12-game trial to see if he’s the right man to lead this team on a more permanent basis, Gang Green may wish to bring an offensive-minded head coach to maximize this roster’s talent.

The Jets certainly could use a fresh perspective after previous offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and current OC Nathaniel Hackett both failed to spark this unit. Hackett remains at his post for now, although he could be the next domino to fall if New York struggles in the weeks ahead.

If the Jets shift gears and hire an offensive-minded head coach during the upcoming cycle, the team will have several promising options to consider.

The most notable is Ben Johnson, the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator who was a trendy candidate to become a head coach following two stellar seasons in the Motor City. During Johnson’s time on the job, the Lions have never ranked below No. 5 in total or scoring offense and the team is a good bet to finish as a top-five unit yet again in 2024.

While Johnson opted against leaving Detroit this past offseason and said he was willing to wait for the right position to open, the allure of—and salary that comes with—coaching in a big market could be too tempting to turn down.

If the Jets prefer a more experienced candidate, Pete Carroll could be an interesting option to explore. While Carroll struggled when he first took over as New York’s head coach back in 1994, he bounced back from that tumultuous 6-10 season to win a pair of national championships at USC and a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks.

Although Carroll is 73 years old, he could be the steady hand this Jets squad needs to realize its potential and make a championship run before the end of the Rodgers era.

Prior to Saleh’s firing, the Jets were already making headlines for a potential blockbuster trade to bring Davante Adams aboard. According to Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer (h/t SI.com), the superstar wideout recently “blindsided” the Las Vegas Raiders with a trade request—a demand the team appears likely to fulfill.

A reunion between Rodgers and Adams has been long rumored, especially after the Raiders failed to become a contender by reuniting the wideout with collegiate quarterback Derek Carr. With Carr now in New Orleans and the Raiders continuing to struggle despite high level contributions from Adams, it makes sense for the organization to move on from the veteran.

Although he’s in his 11th professional season, Adams is still playing at a high level. He appeared to be well on his way to another 1,000-yard campaign after reeling in 18 catches for 209 yards over the first three weeks, but has been out of the lineup since.

Officially this has been due to a hamstring injury, but there’s been speculation that the Raiders have held Adams out as a precautionary measure while negotiating a deal that would send the 31-year-old elsewhere.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, New York is one of the favorites to land Adams. It’s not a shoo-in, however, as the Jets will reportedly be competing for his services with fellow front-runner New Orleans as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens.

The Raiders are reportedly seeking at least a second-rounder in return for the six-time Pro Bowler. It’s a cheaper cost than the Day 1 and 2 picks Vegas sent to the Green Bay Packers to land him in 2022, but still a price that could hinder New York’s ability to compete down the line.

Adams unquestionably will make the Jets a better team in the short term and had immense success with Rodgers during their eight years together in Titletown, but anything short of a Super Bowl run during the two-and-a-half seasons left on the receiver’s deal would be a major disappointment.

Trading for Adams is a major gamble and could haunt them in the years ahead, but it’s a move the Jets need to execute in order to have any chance of ending the 2024 season with the Lombardi Trophy in hand.

The Jets have plenty to consider in the post-Saleh present and future. Choices will not only have to weigh the importance of trying to capture a championship in the near term, but also give credence to sustained success in the coming years when the veterans who are currently doing the heavy lifting are gone.

Rodgers’ future with the team will be hanging over nearly every decision New York’s brass makes. Although the quarterback said in March that he’s “hopeful” he can play up to four more years in the NFL, his struggles in 2024 could lead him to retire far earlier than that.

Considering Rodgers is only completing a mere 61 percent of his throws—the lowest mark of his career since becoming a starter in 2008—and has already been sacked 13 times in five games, the 41-year-old may not be able or up for reaching his longevity goals.

It’s a factor that Davante Adams is reportedly worried about. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the wideout “has some concerns about Rodgers’ plans to stay in New York past this season,” although the lack of no-trade clause in his deal may not give him a choice on being traded to the Jets.

Even if Rodgers finds his footing and looks like the four-time MVP of yore after being reunited with Adams, the team will still have to get a succession plan in place. Turning the offense back over to Zach Wilson is no longer an option after the beleaguered former starter was dealt to the Denver Broncos this offseason, and the current backup is 35-year-old Tyrod Taylor.

That means the Jets may need to consider making a splash in next year’s draft to find an heir to Rodgers.

New York has four picks to use during the first two days of the 2025 draft, although some of those may be utilized to bring in Adams.

If the Jets end up making the playoffs, they’d likely need to further mortgage the future to execute a costly trade up into the range required to land a blue-chip QB prospect such as Cameron Ward or Shedeur Sanders, the top two signal-callers on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department’s initial 2025 big board.

It’s a tough position to be in, but if the Jets can somehow make a run this year before hiring a promising head coach or offensive coordinator during the upcoming cycle and also land a heir-apparent to Rodgers in the draft, they’ll be well-positioned for long-term success.