Aaron Rodgers rates New York Jets' Super Bowl chances among '8-12' contenders

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was frank about his team's goals for this season. It's Super Bowl or bust - and he believes they are among "eight to 12 teams" with the potential to get there.

"The goal is New Orleans," Rodgers told reporters following Wednesday's team practice. "It has to be the goal." New Orleans is the site of Super Bowl LIX.

"The beauty is, every single year there's eight to 12 teams, maybe probably less, but 8-12 teams that can actually do it. We're one of those eight to 12."

Before the start of last season, Rodgers noted that New York was one of "six to 12 teams" who could win it all. This year, he is confident they are again in the mix.

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Rodgers played just four snaps in 2023 before tearing his achilles on the MetLife Stadium turf. Without him, the Jets ranked 31st in the NFL offensively with a paltry 268.6 yards per game.

New York finished 7-10, good for third in the AFC East behind the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins. Fanduel has the Jets with the second-best odds to top the division at +170 and tied for the ninth-best odds to win the Super Bowl at +1800.

It was yet another offseason in the headlines for Rodgers and the New York Jets. He was fined " more than 50k " for missing the team's mandatory two-day June minicamp due to a pre-planned trip to Egypt.

“I originally scheduled it based on the previous year’s [practice] schedule," Rodgers said. "[It] had us out, I believe, by the 9th or 10th. So once I saw the [new] schedule, I was trying to move some things around. It just didn’t happen.”

Fortunately for the Jets, Rodgers has been balling out at their July practices. Per SNY , the quarterback went a tidy 13-16 with a touchdown, including a strong 9-12 showing during the 11v11 portion.

Jets coach Robert Saleh has had nothing but praise for Rodgers: "“He looked good,He can sling it. He can still sling it. He moved around real good, too, with just his lower-half movement.”

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Another standout from the Jets practices has been veteran OT Tyron Smith. After facing the veteran tackle, pass-rusher Jermaine Johnson called Smith "the best pass-blocker in the NFL."

Reporters noted that Smith was impressive in his first training camp outing. That's great news for Jets fans, as Smith is considered a key offseason addition for an offensive line that was poor in 2023.

The same cannot be said for a different New York's offseason addition: linebacker Haason Reddick . The former Philadelphia Eagle has yet to report to the team's training camp and is holding out for a new contract.

The Jets preseason starts on Saturday, August 10th with a matchup against the Washington Commanders.