Aaron Rodgers’ Contract Details and Future with the New York Jets

Aaron Rodgers, the veteran quarterback of the New York Jets, is currently in the second year of a three-year, $112.5 million contract. This deal, which he signed in 2023 after being traded from the Green Bay Packers, includes several key components that impact both the team’s salary cap and Rodgers’ future with the Jets.

The contract breakdown reveals that Rodgers received a $35 million signing bonus and is set to receive a $35 million option bonus in 2024. The total guaranteed amount in the contract is $75 million, covering his signing bonus and salaries for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. However, the $37.5 million salary for 2025 is not guaranteed.

The deal is structured as a three-year contract but effectively spans five years due to two void years. When the option bonus is exercised, a third void year will be added, allowing the Jets to spread the prorated bonus money across five years at $7 million per year for each bonus. This structure saves the Jets nearly $5 million in cap space in 2023 and close to $10 million in both 2024 and 2025.

Rodgers’ salary cap numbers are significant: $8.889 million in 2023, $17.161 million in 2024, $51.5 million in 2025, and a potential $35 million in dead money if his contract voids in 2026. These figures give Rodgers leverage in 2025, as the Jets would face substantial dead money if they were to release him. Specifically, releasing him in 2025 would result in $49 million in dead money, while extending his contract would push the salary cap pain into the future.

Given the current performance of the Jets, with a 3-8 record after 11 weeks in the 2024 season, there is speculation about Rodgers’ future. Despite the underwhelming season, Rodgers has expressed his desire to play for at least one more year. The Jets, having constructed their roster around Rodgers’ preferences, are likely to stick with him for another season to avoid repeating past mistakes, such as the development issues with Zach Wilson.

The decision for the Jets in 2025 will be critical, with options including extending Rodgers’ contract, releasing him and absorbing the significant dead money, or playing out the deal at a high cap cost. The financial and roster implications of these decisions will be closely watched as the Jets navigate their quarterback situation for the upcoming season.