The NFL’s financial calendar often moves with the subtlety of a blindside blitz. Just ask the 2011 Saints, who watched Sean Payton master the cap like a grandmaster shifting chess pieces for a championship run. This June, another savvy move unfolded, setting the stage for a new era in Gotham Green. Cap space isn’t just numbers, it’s oxygen for building contenders. For new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, that oxygen just arrived in a $13.5 million windfall.
Monday’s league-wide cap adjustments saw seven teams collectively exhale, but none breathed deeper than the Jets. Clever post-June 1st designations on veterans CJ Mosley and, pivotally, Aaron Rodgers, unlocked a league-high $13.5 million in precious spending room. While the Eagles ($6.4 M), Ravens ($6.3 M), 49ers ($5.6 M), Browns ($9.8 M), Texans ($10.5 M), and Vikings ($5.2 M) all gained flexibility, the Jets’ haul is the most transformative.
It’s the ultimate parting gift from a legend whose Jets tenure was a turbulent mix of ‘Hail Mary’ magic and heartbreaking fragility – from a Week 3, 2024 MetLife return against the Patriots that sparked ‘Aaron Rodgers!’ chants after an 11-yard scramble at 40, to the devastating Week 17 benching in Buffalo amid a 40-0 rout, culminating in a frosty exit.
The following NFL teams are gaining cap space on Monday as a result of prior post-June 1 cuts made this offseason:
– #Jets: $13.5M (CJ Mosley and Aaron Rodgers)
– #Eagles: $6.4M (Darius Slay and James Bradberry)
– #Ravens: $6.3M (Justin Tucker and Marcus Williams)
– #49ers:… pic.twitter.com/mQCGRcErV4
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 1, 2025
Glenn, the former Jets Pro Bowl CB turned defensive architect for the Lions, now wields this unexpected capital. His vision? A complete reset. The Jets return with only 58% of last year’s roster – the NFL’s lowest retention rate. Out is the Rodgers circus; in is Justin Fields ($40 M/2 years) and UFL MVP Adrian Martinez. Glenn’s building around youth like Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson (101 catches, 1,104 yds, 7 TDs in ’24), lockdown CB Sauce Gardner, and rookie OT Olu Fashanu. This cap boost fuels that aggressive rebuild.
A frosty farewell, a fresh fortune: Glenn turns Rodgers’ exit into Jets’ rebirth
The Rodgers chapter closed abruptly. Glenn, initially respectful, texted the future Hall of Famer upon his January 2025 hiring, stressing evaluation: “We’ve already texted Aaron. Me and [GM Darren Mougey] are going to sit there and watch every game tape there is… This thing is not about Aaron Rodgers. This is about the roster.” But visions clashed.
Rodgers reportedly balked at demands to skip The Pat McAfee Show and commit fully to camp. His exit felt icy: “I think we are going to have this long conversation. I’ve flown across the country, and 20 seconds in he goes and he leans to the edge of his seat and says, ‘So, you want to play football?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m interested.’ And he was like, ‘We’re going in a different direction at quarterback’,” Rodgers stated, contrasting sharply with Glenn’s earlier pragmatism.
While DT Quinnen Williams signaled disapproval online with a thumbs-down emoji, Glenn remained steely: “Every decision that me and Darren Mougey make is to win and to win now.” This $13.5M is Glenn’s first major victory. It’s ammunition to bolster a young core, perhaps adding veteran depth to support Fields or shore up the trenches – echoing the strategic cap mastery of teams like the Chiefs. It funds Glenn’s defensive aggression and OC Tanner Engstrand’s mission to unlock Fields’ arm.
For a franchise steeped in lore – from Joe Namath’s guarantee to the ‘Monday Night Miracle’ – Glenn’s task is forging a new identity. The roar of J-E-T-S! awaits its next catalyst. With financial firepower secured and a clear break from a complicated past, Aaron Glenn isn’t just managing a cap sheet; he’s scripting the Jets’ next epic. The huddle breaks. The play call is his.
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