This article will cover the most important players for the New York Jets in 2024, with the new season quickly approaching. The 2024 NFL season is right around the corner, and for the New York Jets, the campaign has to live up to expectations. The Green Machine is currently on the longest postseason drought in their league, with their last playoff appearance being a 24-19 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2011 AFC Championship game. Since then, the MetLife side has known nothing but pain. 

That was all set to change last season following the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers. Expectations were sky-high for the four-time MVP winner, and plenty of hope was placed on his broad shoulders heading into the campaign, with many wondering if he could churn out one more sublime season to lead the Jets to the promised land. Tom Brady managed to take Tampa Bay to a Lombardi following his departure from the Patriots; could A-Rod do the same? 

Well. Not exactly.

Aaron Rodgers

When Aaron Rodgers signed with the New York Jets in the 2023 offseason, it sent shockwaves through the league. However, as we all remember, things didn’t exactly go as planned. The Super Bowl XLV MVP was crocked with a season-ending injury just six minutes into his debut against the Buffalo Bills, and he duly took his new team’s Lombardi hopes to the treatment room with him. Rodgers is fully fit this season, but whether his powers of recovery are what they used to be at the ripe old age of 40 remains to be seen. 

The bookies are unsure. The latest Bovada NFL spreads, and futures make the Jets a +2000 contender for the championship next season. However, those odds are much longer than those listed last year when Rodgers had just arrived. 

If the former California Golden Lion can roll back the years and return to the kind of form that he showed at Lambeau Field, there can be no denying that he will be the Jets’ most important player in 2024. However, if his latest injury woe has taken its toll, then the green half of MetLife Stadium will surely see their drought extend into a 15th year. 

Garrett Wilson

There can be no denying that the Jets have floundered over the last couple of years. Their seven wins in 2022 were the second lowest of anyone in their conference, and they could only muster up the same amount last term. 

While they have been struggling, there has been one shining light in the form of wide receiver Garret Wilson. The former Ohio State Buckeye enjoyed a breakout rookie year in 2022, as he secured Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. He also secured over 1,000 receiving yards last term, his second in a row. 

His speed, agility, and route-running precision blend will make him A-Rod’s go-to target next term. He impressed last season despite being on the receiving end of Zach Wilson’s arm, and now, with the mercurial Rodgers under center, surely the duo will be one of the most feared in the AFC. 

Breece Hall

In Rodgers’ absence last term, the Jets became increasingly reliant on running back Breece Hall, and he proved himself to be up to the challenge, making himself the engine of his team’s ground attack. After showing flashes of brilliance in his rookie season in 2022, the former Iowa State star took his game to another level last season. And next term, he will aim to ramp things up even further. 

Hall’s versatility has also been a boon. Whether it’s pounding the rock between the tackles, bouncing runs to the outside, or catching passes out of the backfield, the 23-year-old upstart has proven to be a multi-dimensional weapon. Now, with Rodgers’ return taking much of the pressure off of the running game, Hall should be able to shine brighter than ever before. 

Sauce Gardner

On the defensive side of the ball, Sauce Gardner has quickly established himself as one of the premier cornerbacks in the league. The former University of Cincinnati standout was selected with the fourth overall pick of the 2022 draft off the back of a stellar collegiate career in Ohio, and he has certainly lived up to the billing. His physicality, instincts, and ball-hawking have duly translated from the college game into the big leagues, and the 23-year-old has become a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks and receivers. 

Last season, Gardner locked down one side of the field, allowing Jeff Ulbrich’s defense to be more aggressive in its coverage. They knew full well that they had a shutdown corner they could rely on. With teammate Quincy Williams providing plenty of power up front, the Green Machine’s defense is no slouch, and that will be crucial if the most prolonged barren spell in the league is to end in 2024.