Patriots continue to get bad news; QB Aaron Rodgers well ahead of rebab

New York Jets' QB Aaron Rodgers is apparently well ahead of his rehab from a torn Achilles and might be able to return much sooner. This would be a nightmare scenario for the New England Patriots, who are already set to be within both Matthew Judon and Christian Gonzalez for an extended period of time.

Not only have the Patriots lost their two defensive players, but they might also have to deal with the return of Aaron Rodgers during the 2023 NFL season. Rodgers made his weekly appearance on the Pat McAfee show and talked about his rehab thus far and how he's approaching it mentally:

The four-time MVP, who tore his Achilles in Week 1 after just four plays, is apparently well ahead of his rehab, and it matches up with reporting from Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero:

""Sources say renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache and his team performed a procedure to place an internal brace -- called an Achilles "speed bridge" -- on Rodgers' fully torn left Achilles, which he ruptured just four snaps into Monday's game against the Bills. While there are no guarantees, the speed bridge protects the repair and opens up the possibility of an earlier return, sources say.""

- Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero

This is what Rodgers had to say further about the situation:

Obviously, if the Jets are, something like 5-9 and are out of the postseason picture, there would be no reason for Aaron Rodgers to return to the lineup at all. However, the New York Jets do have a strong defense and perhaps could find some more consistent play from Zach Wilson, which would surely pave a clear path for Rodgers to return during the regular season.

He also had this to say:

Guys, it truly does seem like Aaron Rodgers has a chance to return in the regular season. I would put nothing past him, and this could be terrible news for the New England Patriots. Hopefully, the Jets continue to lose and there is no discussion about Rodgers returning.