The Jets' No. 8, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, missed nearly the entire 2023 NFL season, but was still ranked among the top 10 signal-callers (by coincidence, at No. 8) in a recent survey of league executives, coaches and scouts compiled by ESPN ahead of the start of training camps.

"The talent pool suggests new faces will emerge on the ultimate stage," wrote ESPN's senior NFL national reporter, Jeremy Fowler. "Five of the top-seven quarterbacks in this year's Top 10 series are 27 years old or younger.

"They have mobility, ample arm strength and strong early track records. This made for a highly competitive voting process, especially among the top passers directly behind [Kansas City's top-rated Patrick] Mahomes, who, if he has his way, will keep that number of Super Bowl-winning passers at four [Rodgers is among that list, which includes Mahomes, Matthew Stafford and Russell Wilson].

"But some veterans on this list have also improved their standing, and depth at the position is looking up. Any of the top 16-to-18 quarterbacks are capable of leading playoff drives and making noise in the postseason."

Entering his second season with the Jets, Rodgers is the oldest (he will turn 41 in December) active QB in the league and is vying to become the sixth in NFL history to potentially start 10 or more games at 40 or older. The others are Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Warren Moon and Vinny Testaverde. Two of them -- Favre and Testaverde -- spent time with the Jets.

"I have a lot of motivation," Rodgers said during May's OTA sessions. "I love the game, I want to play at a high-level, I don't want to go out, as I've said before, as a bum. I want to be able to play. That's why I put the work in and believe in my abilities.

"I can obviously still throw with the best of them and can still move around and look forward to my confidence and my ability to move, getting back to where it was last year and going out and playing well. I think all the individual possibilities for recognition would be great, but if I play the way I'm capable of playing, we're going to be playing for a lot more than that."

The four-time NFL MVP returns as the Jets' field general surrounded by an improved offensive line and key additions that are likely to make the Green & White's offense more exciting, productive and formidable. In the offseason, GM Joe Douglas signed in free agency LT Tyron Smith and LG John Simpson. The Jets also traded for RT Morgan Moses and are eagerly awaiting the return from injury of Alijah Vera-Tucker, who will be anchored at RG after playing multiple positions on the OL leading to his fourth NFL season. The Jets also used their top draft pick (No. 11 overall) to add Olu Fashanu to the mix.

Beyond the OL, Douglas signed WR Mike Williams in free agency. The Jets then drafted "YAC King" Malachi Corley, and talented running backs Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis to spell budding star Breece Hall.

An AFC executive who responded to the ESPN survey said of Rodgers: "He's probably fringe top 10 at this point, but he still has the rare ability to throw the football. That hasn't gone away. I think he's got a major opportunity to lift the Jets and show what he can still do."

Rodgers' ability and passing mechanics have often been (and still are) called a work of art over the course of his long NFL career.

"He has the ultimate 'hang it in the Louvre' throwing motion," one NFL quarterback coach said in his response to the survey.

LT Tyron Smith 'Brings A Lot of Wisdom'
Adding veteran LT Tyron Smith, who will be entering his 14th season in the league, to protect the blindside of QB Aaron Rodgers has the potential to have a huge impact.

Smith was a first-round pick (No. 9) in 2011 by Dallas and spent 13 seasons there before becoming a free agent for the first time in his career. He started 161 games for the Cowboys and was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All-Decade Team of the 2010s after being named an All-Pro five times.

"He's been outstanding," offensive line coach/run game coordinator Keith Carter said. "It's been a lot of fun to work with him. He brings a whole new set of experiences, and a whole new set of scars that we talk about a lot in terms of hard lessons learned and brings a lot of wisdom for the young guys in the room as well. He's just a wonderful person. Above it all, he's just a joy to be around every day.

"The leadership you get from him, just how hard he works for somebody who's been doing it at his level for so long is invaluable. And then you take these young tackles [No. 1 draft pick Olu Fashanu among them] we have, and he can teach them things I can't, honestly. It is an unbelievable opportunity for those young tackles to learn from him."

Rodgers, who saw his Packers engage in some epic battles against Smith, 33, and the Cowboys, said he's long been a fan.

"It's great having him next to me in the locker room," Rodgers said. "He's a Hall-of-Fame player and damn, he's a specimen. I mean, he's a big, strong man [6-5, 320] and not a fat man either." He added: "Tyron, he's pretty chiseled. Obviously, he and I both want to stay healthy this year and be able to play all 17 and then into the playoffs."

A Renewal Year for Allen Lazard
WR Allen Lazard, signed last year in free agency, will be the first to admit that there's much to improve upon from last season. Like all of the Jets' receivers, Lazard tried to work with three different quarterbacks after Aaron Rodgers' season ended before it really began. The two were productive collaborators during their time together in Green Bay.

Shawn Jefferson, who returned to the Jets this year as wide receivers coach (he was the team's assistant head coach and WRs coach in 2019-20) said Lazard provided contributions throughout the spring.

"I don't know what happened here [last year], but the only thing I can tell you since I've been here, he's been like a second coach in the room," Jefferson said. "He's been in this offense his whole career, so he knows all the little nuances on the route concepts and everything like that. He's been awesome in the room helping me with the rookies, the nuances of the offense. The last couple days he's been making a bunch of plays. So that's all I know, right now he's out there working his butt off. He doesn't say anything. He just comes to work every day. He's making plays. So far so good."