FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets' next general manager will inherit a Hall of Fame quarterback, a pair of No. 1 wide receivers and several key pieces on a defense than ranked No. 3 in yards allowed.
The roster appears to be in a good place, but know this: The Jets didn't finish 5-12 by accident. Their formula didn't work. In 2024, they added two plus two and got three.
So, yes, the soon-to-be-hired GM has plenty of work to do and limited resources with which to do it.
The Jets have 23 unrestricted free agents (including six starters) and $25 million in salary cap room, according to Roster Management System. They have eight draft choices, including No. 7 and No. 42 overall. They also have two potential trade chips in wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall.
For the new GM, it will require creative cap maneuvering to fortify the roster, a process that should be done with an emphasis on chemistry -- something that eluded the 2024 Jets.
Here's a projection on who stays and who goes among key veterans on the bubble:
Older players with big salaries
QB Aaron Rodgers: Priority No. 1 for the GM and his new coach will be figuring out the Rodgers riddle. His cap charge ($23.5 million) is manageable, but this goes beyond money. Does the new regime want to begin its program with a 41-year-old quarterback accustomed to being the focal point of everything?
On the flip side, the Jets will be hard-pressed to find a comparable replacement in a thin quarterback market. Their fear is that he goes to another team and discovers the fountain of youth, as Brett Favre did after leaving the Jets and landing with the Minnesota Vikings in 2009. If Rodgers is released, or if he retires (a possibility), the cap hit is $49 million, which can be spread over two years if he's a designated post-June 1 cut.
"I know I can still do the things I need to do to be successful," Rodgers said. "It just comes down to the desire on their side and, ultimately, my desire to play."
Verdict: Goes.
WR Davante Adams: If his quarterback goes, Adams is likely to leave with him. He's under contract for two more years (a non-guaranteed $72.5 million), but he controls his fate because his cap charge ($38.3 million) is prohibitive and will have to be renegotiated. Based on his production, Adams, 32, still can command at least $20 million per year, which might be too rich for the Jets, especially if they decide to extend Wilson's deal.
Adams said he could "potentially" return without Rodgers, his longtime quarterback, adding, "It would have to depend on ... everything."
Verdict: Goes.
LB C.J. Mosley: He took a pay cut last offseason and wound up missing 13 games because of toe and neck injuries. This one isn't hard to figure out: He will be 33 next season, his cap charge is $12.8 million and his health is a question mark because of his neck. His contract is a problem. There's a $16.4 million dead charge if they cut him, which means they probably will designate him a June 1 cut to spread it over two years. Each team is allowed two June 1 designations.
"I don't have any thoughts about retiring or anything," Mosley said. "My main focus is to make sure I'm 100% on the field and off."
Verdict: Goes.
PK Greg Zuerlein: The Jets rewarded Zuerlein, 37, with a two-year, $8.4 million contract after a terrific 2023, and he responded with the worst season of his career (made only 60% of his field goals). A $4.8 million cap charge is too much for a fading kicker.
Verdict: Goes.
QB Tyrod Taylor: He barely got on the field (36 snaps), but Taylor has value because of the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers. He could be their bridge starter in 2025 or, at the very least, a solid insurance policy. Taylor, who will be 36 next season, is cap-friendly ($6.8 million).
Verdict: Stays.
WR Allen Lazard: He's only 29, not quite an older player, but he makes the list because of his cap charge ($13.2 million). The Jets splurged for Lazard (four years, $44 million) as part of the Rodgers movement in 2023, but his production (60 catches in two years) doesn't justify the weight of the contract. Lazard said he'd like to remain with the Jets to be part of "something historical" and "break the drought" -- 14 straight years out of the playoffs, the league's longest active slump.
Verdict: Goes.
Top unrestricted free agents
CB D.J. Reed: He was hoping to land an extension before last season. When that didn't happen, he took that to mean he's not part of the future. Reed, who will be 29 next season, will get paid as a CB2 on the open market. The Jets must be mindful of their budget, considering CB1 Sauce Gardner is eligible for an extension and nickel back Michael Carter II was extended last summer. They got three good years out of Reed, but you can't keep everybody.
"I'm definitely looking forward to exploring what's out there," Reed said.
Verdict: Goes.
TE Tyler Conklin: Conklin and Reed belong to a small club -- Jets free-agent signings that played out their entire contract. He caught 170 passes over three seasons, making him one of the more productive tight ends in team history. Conklin has value, especially since they're so thin at the position, but he's likely to fetch more from another team on the open market.
Verdict: Goes.
LB Jamien Sherwood: He's a draft-and-develop success story, a former college safety who transitioned to linebacker, replaced the injured Mosley and was voted team MVP by his teammates. The new regime would be wise to keep Sherwood, 25, a run-and-hit linebacker with exceptional leadership. Former coach Robert Saleh might try to reunite with him once he lands his next coaching job. Ditto, interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.
Verdict: Stays.
EDGE Haason Reddick: Never have the Jets paid so much for so little. He cost them a 2026 third-round pick (in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles) and $9.7 million in salary, not to mention the massive headache of a six-month holdout. In return, all they got was 10 games and one sack.
Verdict: Goes.
LT Tyron Smith: He said he will take a couple of weeks to decide on whether to play a 15th season or retire. A potential Hall of Famer, Smith, 34, has nothing left to prove. He has battled several injuries in recent years, including a neck injury that shortened his 2023 season.
Verdict: Retires.
RT Morgan Moses: Moses, who will be 34 next season, said he definitely wants to keep playing. The old regime held him in high regard; the new regime may want to get younger at the position.
Verdict: Goes.
Draft class of 2022
CB Sauce Gardner: The two-time All-Pro had a down year, hurting his chances of becoming the highest-paid cornerback this offseason. Gardner said he's committed to the Jets, saying, "I want to be part of this for a long time." At some point, the Jets will have to open the vault for him. For now, he's under team contract through 2025 (with a fifth-year option for 2026).
Verdict: Stays.
WR Garrett Wilson: His future is one of the big storylines. Wilson has dropped hints about his frustration, fueling speculation he will ask for a trade. That could hinge on whether the Jets pony up with a contract extension. His three-year production (279 receptions, 3,249 yards) compares favorably with some of the top receivers, so he'd be justified in asking for $30 million per year. Only six others have reached that threshold.
Wilson, who is also under contract through 2025 with a fifth-year option, could be worth a first-round pick in a trade -- which might be enticing for a new GM looking to jump-start a rebuild. The phone will be ringing; remember, they received interest at the midseason trade deadline. This one could go either way.
Verdict: Stays.
DE Jermaine Johnson: For Johnson, who suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 2, it's all about getting healthy and continuing the career trajectory he started in 2023. The only question is whether the team will exercise his fifth-year option (2026), projected at $14.7 million.
Verdict: Stays.
RB Breece Hall: The Jets have excellent depth at running back, with the emergence of 2024 draft picks Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis, so they probably will receive trade inquiries on Hall. He is entering the last year of his contract; there's no fifth-year option because he wasn't a first-round pick.
While he has yet to crack 1,000 rushing yards in a season, Hall remains one of the most dangerous dual threats in the league. A new regime will find it hard to give up on that.
Verdict: Stays.