It was always going to be the biggest question of the offseason, and now that we know the answer, the Jets are going to have to live with ramifications of the decision.

I’m referring to the decision to move on from Aaron Rodgers. A move many Jets fans celebrate, and I am much more apprehensive about. And I’m not the only one. Jets’ star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams tweeted “Another rebuild year for me I guess” only to delete it and post a simple thumbs down emoji.

It is very easy to declare someone cut, or fired, or simply gone. The harder part is replacing them with a better option. Quinnen Williams knows that. Jermaine Johnson and Quincy Williams know that. I think the new Jets brass is about to figure it out.

When Aaron Glenn was introduced last week at a press conference he sent a message to the team that his team was going to be about football and the roster. I would love to know what options he believes are going to be better for the football team than Rodgers.

Lets get things straight, I don’t believe Aaron Rodgers is the same player he was with the Packers. I think he is a shell of that first-ballot Hall of Famer and in need of a lot of help to win games. So for all you Rodgers haters, please don’t think I am discussing Rodgers with the belief that it was simply a “down year”. He is what he is now.

That being said, he is by far the best option the Jets have to win this year and it’s not even close. I have searched up and down the draft, trade market and free agency, and there is not one realistic name who gives the Jets a better shot to win now than Rodgers.

For those of you who say, “it’s not about winning now,” I ask you to re-read Quinnen Williams’ post. Think about the message “not looking to win now” says to potential free agents, players who are soon due for contract extensions and any future draft picks. What message are you sending the locker room if you tell them it’s about “the roster” and then downgrade the QB position? And frankly, after 14 straight years of missing the playoffs, the players and the fans don’t have the patience for another rebuild.

I can go through and individually name every player the Jets could possibly have on their list of potential starting QB’s for 2025 and why that is not going to be better than Rodgers, but there will be plenty of time for that all off season. So let me quickly broad stroke it now. The Jets have no shot at the top two quarterbacks in the draft without giving up significant capital to get them. And teams haven’t even begun to work on a draft board at this point, especially teams like the Jets who are overhauling their entire front office and scouting department. So, the idea of “they let Rodgers go because they like someone in the draft” is far-fetched and outlandish.

There is no free agent quarterback that the Jets will have ability to convince to sign in New York that is an upgrade over Rodgers and willing to sign with the Jets (cross the Sam Darnold reunion off your list). There is no player that is available via trade that is an upgrade over Rodgers and doesn’t come with his own significant price tag.

For the life of me, I can’t see a reason to get rid of Aaron Rodgers other than to guise it under the umbrella of “culture change”. I got news for you; the Jets culture right now is losing. 14 damn years of it. You don’t change that culture by downgrading at the quarterback position.