NOW HAPPENING : New York Jets Trade With Minnesota Vikings Lands Quarterback, as Aaron Rodgers made it clear on retiring after Dolphins’ match up and…….

In a stunning series of moves, the New York Jets have traded for Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, signaling a new era at quarterback, while simultaneously securing Mike Vrabel as their next head coach. The Jets’ high-stakes decisions come as future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers has made it clear that he will retire after the team’s upcoming matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

McCarthy, regarded as one of the most promising quarterbacks in college football, was acquired from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for several draft picks and a package of players. The 21-year-old quarterback had been under the radar of NFL scouts all season, and the Jets’ decision to bring him in marks their belief in his potential to lead the franchise back to prominence. McCarthy, who was a standout at Michigan, demonstrated exceptional poise, arm strength, and leadership ability, traits the Jets are hoping will help revitalize their offense.

Meanwhile, as Rodgers prepares for his farewell game, the Jets made the bold move of filling their head coaching vacancy with Vrabel, the highly respected Tennessee Titans head coach. Vrabel, known for his no-nonsense approach and defensive expertise, will take over the Jets after a season marred by inconsistency. The move to land Vrabel was swift, and it signals the Jets’ commitment to building a championship-contending team in both offense and defense.

With Rodgers’ impending retirement and the arrival of McCarthy and Vrabel, the Jets are preparing for a major overhaul. The team’s front office believes that McCarthy, under Vrabel’s leadership, can become the franchise quarterback they’ve long sought. The Jets’ fans are buzzing with anticipation, eager to see how these monumental changes will shape the team’s future in the years to come. The moves also mark a significant shift in the AFC East, as the Jets seek to reassert themselves as contenders.

GOOD NEWS: Jets set Appoint Mike Vrabel For HC ; as Social Media Explodes

The New York Jets are set to interview Mike Vrabel for the vacant head coaching position at their facilities.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic broke the story on Friday, January 3.

Vrabel served as a coaching and personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns this season. At the beginning of this week, the Browns released him from his duties so he could get a head start on the head coaching cycle.

This is the first head coaching interview for Vrabel this cycle.

“Lock the doors. Don’t let Vrabel leave @woodyjohnson4,” NYJ Matt posted on X previously Twitter.

“Hire Mike Vrabel. Let him pick the GM he wants to work with. It’s a no brainer,” ESPN radio host Jake Asman argued.

Typically if NFL teams have vacancies at both head coach and general manager – they hired a GM first. However, SNY NFL Insider Connor Hughes recently revealed that the Jets are heading into this process with an open mind. That includes the potential of hiring a head coach before the general manager.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport called Vrabel “one of the top candidates of this coaching cycle.”

“This is a fascinating interview just because of how coveted Vrabel is,” Rapoport said on “Good Morning Football.” “He is in that building. It is early, obviously, in their coaching search. They are still going to get to work to interview other candidates but this obviously is a key one. Vrabel should be a top candidate for basically any job that is open.”

From @GMFB: Mike Vrabel interviews today with the #Jets. Meanwhile, for #Lions–#Vikings, RB Aaron Jones is dealing with a quad contusion, while LB Alex Anzalone could return this Sunday night. pic.twitter.com/qIIbIWfcbG

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 3, 2025

Insider Nuggets on Vrabel’s Time Away

Vrabel is a former Coach of the Year in the NFL (2021). With the Tennessee Titans from 2018 through 2023, Vrabel finished with a 54-45 overall record.

He won the AFC South twice and brought the Titans to an AFC Championship game appearance.

Last year the Titans fired Vrabel and he didn’t land one of the vacant head coaching gigs that were available in the NFL.

The past five months Vrabel spent “extensive time” with the folks over at The Athletic as he worked for the Browns.

In the long form column, he talked about what went wrong during his Titans tenure, the “inaccurate perception” league-wide that he is a “hard ass and hard to work with.”

Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh refused to call out players publicly and seemed to prefer a friendly approach. There were several examples listed in The Athletic in Vrabel’s past where he called players out in meetings and preached “accountability.”

“Not everyone appreciated it, and Vrabel admits that, at times, he focused too much on the things players were doing wrong, instead of highlighting the things they were doing right. But most of the Titans locker room understood where he was coming from,” Rosenblatt said.

The Jets haven’t held players accountable this season when mistakes have been made. That has been a core fundamental issue for the team.

BREAKING: “NOT AARON ROGERS”Jets set to Part Ways With $8.4 Million Starter After Horrific Season

The New York Jets are changing kickers once again.

Gang Green announced on Tuesday, December 31 that they have placed veteran placekicker Greg Zuerlein on injured reserve. This is the second time he was placed on IR this season due to injury.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini said Zuerlein is a “likely cap casualty” in 2025. This past offseason he signed a two-year deal for $8.4 million which was the biggest contract for a kicker in Jets history.

Zuerlein has “no guaranteed money left” on his contract, Cimini added. However, according to Cimini, if the team releases him, that’ll leave a dead cap charge of $2.3 million with a net savings of $2.5 million.

Jets Have Called an Audible at The Line of Scrimmage

In a corresponding move, the Jets signed kicker Greg Joseph to the 53-man roster.

Joseph, 30, is in the middle of his seventh NFL season. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018 out of Florida Atlantic.

The Jets are the No. 11 team that Joseph has played for in his professional career. Joseph has converted 115 of his 140 field goal attempts during that run. That is an 82.1% career conversion rate. On his extra point attempts, he has gone 154-for-170 [90.6% conversion rate].

He will replace Zuerlein who was in the middle of a career-worst season. This season he finished 9-of-15 on his field goals which was a league-worst 60% conversion rate.

The kicker position is a fickle one.

Last year Zuerlein turned in perhaps the greatest single season we have ever seen for a Jets kicker. He was 35-of-38 and delivered in the clutch when it mattered most throughout the season.

Jets Take a Chance on a Former First-Round Draft Choice

The season might be over in terms of playoff hopes for the Jets, but there will be more football to play in 2025.

Interim Jets general manager Phil Savage claimed linebacker Jamin Davis off of waivers from the Minnesota Vikings.

Davis, 26, was the No. 19 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.

He spent the first three and a half seasons of his career with the Washington Commanders. After being cut by Washington in late October of 2024 he was picked up by the Vikings.

Across his four seasons in the league, Davis has racked up 287 tackles, eight sacks, 11 quarterback hits, six pass deflections, an interception, and two forced fumbles.

The Jets’ future at the linebacker position is very murky. C.J. Mosley could retire or get released by the team this offseason. Jamien Sherwood is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2025. In 2025 Quincy Williams will only have one more year left on his contract.

Plus on top of all of that, a new regime is taking over at the head coach and general manager position this offseason. Will the Jets be a 3-4 defense? Or maybe a 4-3? How important are linebackers in their scheme?

Davis is a low-risk versus high-reward kind of move. If he continues to underwhelm which has resulted in him bouncing around early in his career – then you simply move on this offseason. However if he turns his career around, the Jets found a diamond in the rough.