Aaron Rodgers' torn Achilles injury: What's next for the Jets? - ESPN

It's the hope that kills you.

The same Jets fans who welcomed Aaron Rodgers to New York with a roar as he ran onto the field Monday evening were silenced after a grand total of four snaps. Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon in Monday night's victory over the Buffalo Bills, an injury that will end his season.

New York coach Robert Saleh's thousand-yard stare at the prospect of Zach Wilson taking over again at quarterback said it all: Six months of joy and excitement dissipated in a matter of moments. Rodgers seemed to realize he had suffered the tear on the field, as he glumly shook his head toward the sideline and sat down before being helped to the locker room.

With the news of his injury, there are naturally a handful of questions that need to be addressed. None will be a particularly easy read for Jets fans, but the fallout from this impacts the entire NFL. Let's rip off the Band-Aid and start with the most painful one:

Jump to a question:
Can the Jets still be a playoff team?
What are their 2024 Super Bowl chances?
Are there QBs available on the market?
How does this impact the trade with GB?
How does the AFC playoff picture look now?
Should the Jets have been more wary?
Did the O-line put Rodgers at risk?

Realistically, yes. We saw a version of this team with Wilson and a great defense fail to come close to competing for a playoff berth last season, when it needed five victories over backup quarterbacks to make it to 7-10. Barring some stunning development from Wilson as the season goes along that we didn't see Monday night or the arrival of a totally unexpected solution, the Jets can't expect to compete with the Bills, Bengals, Chiefs and other top teams in the AFC through a full season and into a postseason run.

Reme