Three weeks after opening his 21-day practice window, the Jets activated QB Aaron Rodgers. To make room, the Jets released FB Nick Bawden.
"As I said, it's all part of his rehab," HC Robert Saleh said Wednesday. "Just having him out on the football field is a plus for everybody. It's a plus for him, it's a plus for his teammates, so we're going to keep him on the 53."
But Saleh shut the door on the possibility of Rodgers taking any regular-season snaps during the Jets' final three games vs. the Commanders, and then at the Browns and the Patriots.
"He's not playing," said the third-year head coach.
During his weekly appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Tuesday, Rodgers, 3-plusmonths removed from surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon, said he was not completely healthy. The Jets also were eliminated from postseason contention last Sunday, so Rodgers indicated he would not play down the stretch.
"If I was 100 percent today, I'd be definitely pushing to play [Sunday vs. Washington]," he said. "The fact is I'm not. I've been working hard to get closer to that. I'm still 14 weeks tomorrow from my surgery. Being medically cleared at 100 percent healed is not realistic at 14 weeks."
On the practice field, Rodgers has gotten in limited work the past couple of weeks.
"This last week I took QB-center exchange, did some stuff with the running backs," he said. "I've been doing the 7-on-7 with the Flight School, which is basically 2s and 3s and P-squad guys that I asked to do at the end of the day. So that's been fun. Didn't do any 11-on-11 stuff."
Acquired from the Green Bay Packers on April 24, Rodgers went down four snaps into the Jets' season-opening OT win over the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 11th. He now turns his attention to 2024 and beyond.
"I wanted at least two years, so I feel like this year is kind of a lost year now that I was only able to play a couple snaps and wasn't able to go out there and prove what I'm capable of and see what we're capable of as a team," Rodgers said. "I don't think next year will be my last year. With some of the things that I've learned over the last year, taking care of my body and surrounding myself with some great people who have been helping me with my nutrition and functional training at a more acute level, I feel like I can play more years and I can be effective into my 40s."
With Rodgers back in the fold coupled with some key offseason retooling, Saleh believes the Jets can quickly turn around their fortunes.
"We want to win a championship — we believe we can win a championship," he said. "I know he said two years, but in a perfect situation we win a championship next year and he walks off in the sunlight. But that's a whole other conversation for the offseason."
Not surprised by Rodgers' determined mindset, Saleh believes the Jets QB has a lot left in his tank.
"I think he's going to play until the wheels fall off," he said. "I don't think it's 1-2 [years]. I think he'll go 3, 4, 5 if he can."
