Craig Carton raises concern over Jets' decisions made around star QB: "Aaron Rodgers' a lousy GM"
Aaron Rodgers made the biggest splash of the 2023 NFL offseason when he was traded to the New York Jets. He was fully expected to turn the franchise around by ending the longest NFL Playoff drought in the entire league and was even thought by many to make them Super Bowl contenders, considering the strong roster he joined.
Unfortunately, things didn't go accordingly to plan as Rodgers injured his Achilles just four plays into the Jets' first game of the year. This resulted in a disappointing 4-7 record entering Week 13, eliminating them from postseason contention.
It's a bit surprising that the Jets have actually gone backwards from last season, when they barely missed out on the playoffs. Craig Carton apparently believes he knows the reason why. During The Carton Show, he explained how Rodgers has impacted the entire structure of the team:
"Here's the problem with tying everybody to Aaron Rodgers. He may very well have a couple more years of great football left in him, but he's a lousy general manager. And he's the de facto general manager."
Craig Carton referred to Aaron Rodgers bringing some of "his guys" with him when switching teams from the Green Bay Packers to the Jets. The roster he exemplified included Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Dalvin Cook, and Tim Boyle. He also pointed out offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
Lazard and Cobb have failed to provide the production with the Jets that they previously did with the Packers. Cook is having the worst statistical season of his career, and while Boyle was only meant to be a backup, he struggled in his only start this season.
The Jets continue to have one of the worst offenses in the entire NFL, ranking 30th in points per game of 32 teams. While many point fingers at Hackett for this, Carton believes Rodgers should be the one to blame.
He claims the quarterback constructed this situation for himself personally, and the Jets' front office allowed him to serve as the unnamed general manager. Without Rodgers under center, the rest of the plan has turned out to be an absolute disaster.
Is Aaron Rodgers coming back this year?
When Aaron Rodgers was diagnosed with a torn Achilles, it was immediately reported that he suffered a season-ending injury. However, he refused to accept that fate, consistently claiming that his unique apparoach to the sugery and recovery process could beat the suggested recovery timeline..
It is still unclear whether or not Rodgers will get back on the field this year, but he has always claimed it to be possible. The caveat is that he has also mentioned he will only return if, in addition to being healthy enough to protect himself, the New York Jets are still playing for a spot in the NFL Playoffs.
However, with a 4-7 record, the second-worst in the AFC, this appears quite unlikely. Anything is possible, but this would suggest Aaron Rodgers will aim to make his return next year instead.