Earlier this week, the New York Jets made a big decision, opting to activate quarterback Aaron Rodgers from injured reserve. Rodgers’ 21-day practice window was closing and had he not been activated, he would have been reverted to season-ending IR and not been allowed to practice with the team.
Practice, according to head coach Robert Saleh, is all that Rodgers will be doing over the final three weeks of the season. He will not be suiting up to play, as this is all part of the rehab process that has been put together for the veteran quarterback.
It was certainly an odd decision to make as Rodgers is now on the 53-man roster. He is taking up a spot despite the team having no intentions of playing him, which is certainly a bizarre move to make. That roster spot could be used better, whether it be for a special teams contributor or a young player on the practice squad to get a taste of the NFL.
NFL News & Rumors: Robert Saleh, Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets Updates
Alas, not everyone is buying that Rodgers is officially out for the season. He was activated for a reason and some conspiracy theories have begun being tossed around. One was shared by Ryan Dunleavy, an NFL reporter for the New York Post.
“But what happens when — surprise! — Rodgers suddenly is moving around so much better than expected in practice next week or the week after? Will he enter a game just to prove he made it back from a torn Achilles faster than anyone in history and that his often-ridiculed scientific beliefs are legitimate? Or will he remain shut down,” Dunleavy wrote.
Rodgers was reportedly moving around so well that the team was using him as a scout team cornerback in practice last week and he made a one-handed interception. That certainly sounds like someone who will be itching to get back out on the field despite the Jets being eliminated from playoff contention.
However, Rodgers even admitted that his Achilles is not 100 percent healthy. During his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, he said he was probably three weeks away from being 100 percent.
Based on that timeline, it sounds as if Rodgers will not be getting on the field. The last game the Jets have is on January 7th against the New England Patriots. However, Dunleavy isn’t buying it as Rodgers would probably love to set an unprecedented mark when it comes to injury recovery.
NFL News & Rumors: Robert Saleh, Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets Updates
“The real medical pioneer is going to be the first pro athlete who plays in a game less than four months removed from Achilles surgery,” Dunleavy continued. “Rodgers is smart enough to know the distinction. So, don’t rule out that he makes a ceremonial start to hand the ball off once. Or takes a kneel-down snap. Or plays a full series. Or somehow gets his name into a box score before the end of the season…
“We should all believe Rodgers isn’t going to try to play this season when we see the final second of the final game tick off the clock,” Dunleavy added.
It will certainly be something to keep an eye on and have Jets fans semi-interested in the final three games of the season. Dunleavy is certainly correct, that you can never say never when it comes to Rodgers getting into a game. Unless he is the emergency quarterback and not allowed to play other than for injuries to the players ahead of him, there is always a chance he will be on the field in some capacity.
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