New York Jets interim general manager Phil Savage has already outlined his thoughts on struggling quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The Jets have endured a difficult season thus far. Robert Saleh was fired as head coach, and the Jets completed a trade to pair Rodgers with Davante Adams which has failed to pay dividends and, following defeat to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11 that saw the franchise sink to 3-8, general manager Joe Douglas has followed Saleh out the door.

His replacement, at least for now, is Savage. The 59-year-old joined the Jets in 2019 as a senior football advisor, bringing 25 years of NFL front-office experience to the role. Previous positions include Vice President and General Manager at the Cleveland Browns (2005-08), Reese’s Senior Bowl Executive Director (2012-18), and General Manager of Alliance of American Football’s Arizona Hotshots (2019).

Savage, who has helped teams draft the likes of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson in his career, will now oversee the daily activities of the Jets, handling all of the team’s contracts, players and coaches while serving as the spokesman to the media. As he prepares to lead the franchise forward with Rodgers at quarterback, Savage’s view of the four-time MVP is positive.

“Aaron [Rodgers] is a world-class talent destined for the Hall of Fame,” Savage exclusively told Mirror U.S. Sports during the offseason. “His body of work and career accomplishments speak for themself, and we believe he can sprinkle some of his magic dust here. It’s not only his attitude and mentality, but his experience and obvious arm talent… we’re excited to see him get to work fully healthy.”

Rodgers’ presence on the Jets made roster construction somewhat difficult to navigate, as the AFC East franchise attempted to combine winning with – and appeasing – the 40-year-old while not mortgaging their future. When asked about talent ID ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, where the Jets took tackle Olu Fashanu in the first round, Savage said: “We’re trying to thread the needle between the now and the future.

“We’re trying to find a prospect that could give us an impact today, but also be able to be productive two or three years from now to strike that balance by having Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. We have to weigh up the 2024 season – what is going to happen today – versus 2025 or 2026, when a player may fulfill his full potential… These are the difficult calls the general manager has to make because there is a crossroads here regarding the win-now mentality versus the overall health and welfare of your depth chart moving forward.”

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Phil Savage joined the Jets in 2019

Phil Savage joined the Jets in 2019 ( 

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New York Jets)

These are the calls Savage must make now after he replaced Douglas as the interim general manager. Jets fans will hope Savage’s quarterback touch has improved since his days in Cleveland.

In the 2007 NFL Draft, Savage took his biggest swing as Browns GM as he selected both tackle Joe Thomas and quarterback Brady Quinn in the first round. Thomas was a resounding success, going down as one of the best tackles in NFL history. But Quinn was a failure, and Savage was fired after the Browns started 0-8 in 2008.

Savage also addressed the infamously sharp gaze of sports media within the New York market. Along with Rodgers and interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich, Savage will now be the chief subject of any criticism aimed at the team.

“I do think that there’s a little different level of openness, so to speak, that’s needed in terms of being media savvy or simply understanding New York has a spotlight on the city,” he added. “There’s going to be more attention on you if you work or play for the Jets than a few of the franchises out there, if not most of them.”

The 3-8 Jets are now on their bye week before welcoming the Seattle Seahawks to town on Sunday, Dec. 1.