Aaron Rodgers' Jets contract: What a reunion or split would cost the team in salary cap
Aaron Rodgers #8 of the Jets gestures before a snap during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Aaron Rodgers’ future with the Jets is up in the air. Here is a look at how the situation could play out, and what it means for the Jets and their salary cap.
Option 1: Rodgers returns to the Jets to play next season
Rodgers is under contract for next season, but his salary is not guaranteed. The Jets would have to exercise a $35 million option bonus. His base salary would be $2.5 million. His cap charge would be $23.5 million.
Option 2: The Jets release Rodgers or he retires
If released or he retires, Rodgers would count for $49 million against the cap in 2025. The $49 million is the sum of his prorated bonuses, money that Rodgers has already been paid.
Option 3: Designate him a post-June 1 cut
If the Jets designate Rodgers as a post-June 1 cut, they have the option to break up the $49 million cap hit over the next two seasons. The cap hit for 2025 would be $14 million, and the cap hit for 2026 would be $35 million.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
