. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets Thanks to his incredible play two years ago and his massive ego, most believe that Aaron Rodgers is going to play even longer than Tom Brady did. His idea that he could break the record for quickest return from a torn Achilles despite being 39 was insane, and it’s that type of mentality why many believe talking about Rodgers’ retirement seems disingenuous. Work From Anywhere, Earn Money MetroOpinion Work From Anywhere, Earn Money Ad However, it would actually be a pretty easy exit for Rodgers if he walked away this season. He signed an amended contract last season that extended him through 2025 with four void years. There is a $63 million cap hit in 2026 despite there being no actual player on the books. He’s absolutely letting the Jets take on that hit as long as he gets his payment.
We also have to acknowledge this is a player coming off a torn Achilles. As much as Rodgers liked to say he was going to come back next year before Zach Wilson and the rest of the fifth-string quarterback brigade ruined the Jets playoff chances, this is still one of the most devastating injuries an athlete can suffer. Rodgers is superhuman, but that’s still human. He can only do so much.
And then there’s this weirdness of Rodgers’ lack of appearance at Jets camp. Is this something to do with the injury and he doesn’t want to face the music? Is his focus not on football after he was involved in so many other things? We have to say it’s probably 50-50 this is Rodgers last year, if he even makes it that far. Trusted Web Development Course – Enroll Now & Start Learning www.udemy.com/WebDevelopment/Online-Learning Trusted Web Development Course – Enroll Now & Start Learning Ad
3. Bobby Wagner, Washington Commanders Now this one would be a shock. Bobby Wagner just signed a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders for $6.5 million. He had a very successful return to the Seattle Seahawks, and he’s looking for a legacy builder as he tries to build the final pieces of what he hopes is a Hall of Fame resume. He signed with an interesting team in the Commanders, and it’s also surprising he only signed $6.5 million. Wagner’s age makes this obvious. He’s 34 years old. Even the star defensive players rarely make it to this age at a high level. He’s the oldest player on the Commanders, claiming a late-June birthday which puts him ahead of Zach Ertz. Wagner might be great and squeeze a little more out of this career, but we’ll see. It’s much more likely that Wagner fights for his life this season, and it becomes a proof point of signing older defensive players. He wants to prove his worth still, but he’s on a team with upside but no established defensive scheme. It’s a new coach with a very defensive system, but can Wagner compete with Dan Quinn at the expected level? Wagner has had an amazing career. He had 186 total tackles last season, but that was an outlier. Players whose best asset is tackles can usually be had for cheap. Wagner might not see the money that makes it worth it to keep going.
4. Joe Flacco, Indianapolis Colts The reigning Comeback Player of the Year was almost retired last season. He didn’t hit the field until December, but he was amazing. He is the definition of lightning in a bottle. After a few mediocre seasons with the New York Jets, it looked like it was the end for the former Super Bowl MVP. Then, the Cleveland Browns suffered about 30 quarterback injuries (in the end, the Browns had five players start at one point). He turned that great six-game stretch into a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. It’s not bad that he gets one more season at $4.5 million. However, he is 39 years old. He’s now a backup in this league, and he was able to take one good run and turn it into a final payday. Flacco is backing up Anthony Richardson, a young gun who could not stay healthy in year one. He literally got hurt in every game. It just feels likely he will miss at least some time. He’s coming off a shoulder injury, so some soft gloves will be used as he makes his way back into the lineup. After last year’s intense run at the end of the season, Flacco could have ridden off into the sunset, but it makes sense that he used that run to get the money. However, we can’t see this being more than a one-year goodbye tour.
5. Jason Peters, Free agent This one feels a little obvious, as predicting a 42-year-old offensive lineman is at the end of his road feels like a no-brainer, but Jason Peters probably could have retired for five seasons now. He just keeps coming back and gains starting roles on important teams. He is two games away from 250 career games, and if he plays half of this season, he will be in the top 50 for games played all-time. Peters is another interesting Hall of Fame case, but this season likely won’t impact that at all. He will likely have a path paved all the way to Canton when he decides to hang it up. Could Peters retire before the season? It feels like if he wasn’t trying to give it one more go, he would have just announced his retirement by now. Last season, the Seattle Seahawks called Peters when injuries hampered their offensive line. Many thought it was a flier not worth taking, but Peters ended up being quite good despite being on the wrong side of 40. This year, it looks like he will try one more time to find a team in need of a tackle in a pinch. Will this be the final season? It’s hard to bet against Peters, but it has to end sometime.
6. Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders We mentioned Ertz earlier as the Washington Commanders have worked to add veterans around a young roster. Yes, the Commanders season will be about turning reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels into a superstar, but with vets like Wagner, Ertz, Terry McLaurin, Austin Ekeler, and more, the Commanders might be all right. Under Dan Quinn, there will be expectations to at least be competitive in an interesting division. The NFC East has the Cowboys and Eagles with Super Bowl aspirations and coaches trying to save their jobs, and the Giants have the same hot seat but much different aspirations. Ertz has been milling around for a few years after a very productive career with the Eagles. He spent some time being the big name on the Arizona Cardinals, but he signed with the Commanders in the offseason. This will be his 13th season, which is a ton for a tough position like tight end. Not only is he getting hit constantly while catching balls in the middle of the field, but he’s trying to stop defensive ends and outside linebackers from killing the quarterback or knocking out running backs. Ertz is going to Washington to play for Kliff Kingsbury again, who got the offensive coordinator job there. He comes into a tight-end room where he’s the clear starter despite his “advanced” age. This definitely feels like it doesn’t have to be the last year for Ertz, but he did have a strange season last year. He got hurt in the middle of the year and missed a bunch of time before he asked for his release. He signed with the Detroit Lions in the playoffs, but he was never elevated to the regular roster. Now, he’s trying to make an impact on a young team, but we’ll see if he still has enough to remain the starter.
7. Duane Brown, Free agent Another offensive lineman who might be at the end of his rope, Duane Brown had a pretty unsuccessful two-year run with the New York Jets. After years of success with the Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks, Brown expected to be a veteran presence on a relatively young line. He was signed in 2022 after Mekhi Beckton got hurt, but Brown also had a hard time staying on the field. He’s played 17 games over two seasons. Now, he’s still waiting for his next opportunity. Despite being one of the better free agents on the market, or at least one of the bigger names, there are no rumors