PFF writer believes Patriots aren't only AFC East team with questionable quarterback

We're at the point in the NFL offseason where all the discussion about all 32 teams is about projecting how they'll do once the regular season is here. Teams are already being labeled as Super Bowl favorites, while others are being stamped as an inevitable bust.

Then there's the early breakdowns of each roster, as most teams are currently hosting their offseason team activities this week.

With that comes experts' conclusions about who the best players are on each team, something Pro Football Focus does every year. This makes for an interesting perspective to read over three months before Week 1, especially when certain players don't make that list.

PFF writer believes Patriots aren't only AFC East team with questionable quarterback

When looking at the AFC East, the assumption is there is a current pecking order in how the division will lineup by season's end. Because the Bills have become the annual favorite to win the division, they remain at the coveted spot. However, the Jets are not far behind them due to the return of Aaron Rodgers, who missed all of last season from an Achilles injury.

Although the presence of the former Packers quarterback is what makes the Jets a Super Bowl favorite, Trevor Sikkema of PFF did not include him on the list of New York's three best players for the 2024 season.

It was a shocking decision to most, considering who Rodgers is, but he might have a point in leaving him off the list. He instead chose receiver Garrett Wilson, listing his high talent level as justification for snubbing the quarterback.

"Garrett Wilson claims the third spot instead of Aaron Rodgers because Wilson’s talent level is incredibly high, even though his 73.5 receiving grade in 2023 was a big step down from his 85.9 figure as a rookie."

Rodgers' dismissal from the piece has rubbed Jets fans the wrong way, as they are fully on board with what the one time Super Bowl Champion wants to bring to their team. While that's good and dandy, there's plenty of room to be objective here.

Was it wrong for Aaron Rodgers not to make the top players on the Jets' list?

During his 18 years in Green Bay, Rodgers only won a single Championship in 2010, which was his third year as a starter. Since then, he's not been incredibly successful in the playoffs nor gotten to another Super Bowl, and at age 40 (and turning 41 during the season) seems more unlikely now than ever.

On top of that, he's coming off a serious injury that has historically impacted players' performances more than expected. It's possible that could be the fate for Rodgers, although we (of course) hope it's not.

Then there's the factor of him playing for a new team for the first time in his career. Switching teams this late in your career doesn't always work out well for any player, especially a quarterback. Although Tom Brady made it look easy, even winning a title with the Bucs, Rodgers is not Brady, and the Jets are certainly not the Bucs.

It seems more than fair for Rodgers to be left off the top players list mainly because quarterbacks in his situation are already on shaky ground, and we're yet to see him play for the Jets as it is, making his production more unpredictable.

So why claim he's one of the most talented on the list if he hasn't been able to showcase how well he fits (or doesn't) with the Jets?

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