I'm About To Save Two NFL Franchises. You Can Thank Me Later.

The regular NFL season is finished and Black Monday has come and gone. Somehow, Robert Saleh has survived as the head coach of the New York Jets while Sean Payton will be back with the Denver Broncos after a 9-8 season.

There are a lot of questions and ideas about to how to fix the problems these two franchises have. Well, your humble columnist also has a plan. 

For a moment, let's talk about the why's. Then, we'll concentrate on the how's.

Both teams are similar in their situations. Both are salary cap disasters. Both went all in on veteran QB's who were supposed to lead them, at the very least, to the first round of the playoffs. Neither did that. 

Aaron Rodgers is 40 years old. He took four snaps of regulation football with the Jets in '23, only to rupture his Achilles tendon - a daunting injury for a man ten years younger to rebound from, much less at his age. But assuming he recovers and is 100% ready in '24, Rodgers is 40 freakin' years old, who will have spent a year without playing competitively at the single most important skill position on the field. 

Do you really think he's capable of playing seventeen regular season games and however many playoff games, to lead the Jets to the next level? And, how many years will he be able to do that? The Jets are a team so fitfully mismanaged they couldn't even figure out how to merge a Pro Bowl caliber running back's skills into their offense, while their coach with his 18-33 record is coming back for a fourth year. 

The Broncos have similar QB issues, though without the injury specter hovering overhead. They have Russell Wilson, a 35 year old Super Bowl winner, who was totally lost under Nathaniel Hackett's one year head coaching fiasco, and is now completely at odds with his new coach, Sean Payton - so much so, that he was benched for the final two games of the season. 

Some say Russ is toast in Denver, some say he'll be back. But this much is real - while he performed better this year, he looked old, slow, indecisive at times and unlikely to raise the Broncos up in a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert to contend with.

So how do you fix these franchises in an NFL world that demands quality QB play?

You don't. That's to say, you don't go the QB route. 

Now comes the "how". 

JETS - trade Aaron Rodgers to the Las Vegas Raiders for their second and third round picks in '24 and '25. Why does this make sense for the Jets? I'll explain in a minute. Mark Davis, the Raiders owner,  would go for this because Rodgers is a marquee name in a town that demands marquee talent. For Rodgers, he's gets a team with a stud running back (who would then re-sign with the Raiders), a reunion with Davonte Adams a defense that's growing and improving and a coach who's full of fire to win now (if they hire Antonio Pierce as the full time guy). Rodgers could give them two or three wins they would normally not have - which would translate into playoff possibilities. And they could recruit one of two key free agents to support the cause (think interior lineman for pass protection and maybe a stud tight end). Woody Johnson could open the checkbook and spilt the ridiculous salary amount the Jets committed to Rodgers.

Everyone is happy.

BRONCOS - Trade Russell Wilson to Pittsburgh for a number two this year, plus a three and four in '25. The Walmart's have more money than most third world nations and can easily compensate Pittsburgh for the remainder of Russ' contract. The Steelers would love to have him because he fits their scheme. And they have what Denver doesn't - a great explosive running game, solid defense plus mercurial wide receivers who can get open and give Russ something to cook with.

Again, everyone is happy. So now - my plan. 

Both the Jets and Broncos need to forget about drafting QB's and go back to the future. Seventeen games is a LONG, ARDUOUS season. So instead of playing Shanahan ball, play Parcells ball. Draft a stud running back, maybe two, then concentrate on quality young linemen from programs that feature pro style offenses. Each team already has stud running backs on the roster, so going two or three deep will help them offset season long fatigue and injury. Both teams have solid defenses that can keep them in games. Go back to Bill Parcells style of ball - minimize turnovers, control the ball and the clock and play hard nosed defense. Both teams will benefit, and break out next year using this strategy.

But what if the Jets stay with Rodgers and the Broncos try to find the next franchise QB in this years draft?

They're screwed.

The Jets went all in on Zacky boy and instead of sitting behind Rodgers being groomed as the future franchise QB, he's heading back to Utah with a pocket full of money and some great stories. The Broncos drafted Drew Lock three years ago and promptly traded him to Seattle in the Wilson deal. And while the jury is still out on him, he certainly wasn't worth trading up to get. 

If the Jets stay with Rodgers, even if he gives them two solid years, they're not championship caliber right now and would be in the SAME MESS two years down the road. Ditto the Broncos, staying with Russ. Both franchises would continue to flounder and drift. With my plan, I solve their short AND long term issues. 

You can thank me later.