If the Jets will be adding quarterback Aaron Rodgers, they’ll be adding his contract to their overall cap burden.
To help absorb the deal (or perhaps entirely coincidentally), they cleared $13.1 million in cap space, with the restructuring of multiple contracts.
Via Field Yates of ESPN.com, the Jets moved $13.1 million to future years by re-doing the contracts guard Laken Tomlinson, cornerback D.J. Reed, and tight end Tyler Conklin. All three signed as free agents in 2022.
Coupled with the recent release of receiver Braxton Berrios and the restructuring of the contract of tight end C.J Uzomah, that’s more than $21 million in cap space.
If/when the Jets acquire Rodgers, they’ll undoubtedly exercise a $58.3 million option bonus, reducing his 2023 cap charge from $59.465 million to $15.74 million.
Of course, that would push $47.22 million into future years. If Rodgers were to retire after one season (and if he were placed on the reserve-retired list after June 1, 2024), the Jets would carry dead money of $15.74 million in 2024 and $31.48 million in 2025.