Aaron Rodgers was bummed out while driving home in traffic late Monday night after he and the New York Jets lost another frustrating game.
“I had a couple of messages,” Rodgers said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday. “I was just not in the mood to talk to anybody.”
Until Davante Adams reached out.
His close friend and former Green Bay Packers teammate had some news: They were going to play together again.
The Jets acquired the disgruntled Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday, sending a conditional third-round pick in next year’s draft that could become a second-rounder.
“It’s bittersweet because of what happened last night,” Rodgers said, referring to the Jets’ 23-20 loss to Buffalo. “But, you know, it’s exciting. Tae and I have done a lot of great things over the years. He’s made me look good a lot of times. So, I’m really excited about it. I think it’s exciting for our team.
“We definitely got better today.”
The question, though, is how much it will truly help a team that sits at 2-4, has lost three in a row, fired coach Robert Saleh last week, replaced him with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and demoted offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as the play caller in favor of Todd Downing.
Adams will certainly give Rodgers a player in whom he has supreme confidence. His 615 receptions from Rodgers for 7,517 yards and 68 touchdowns in eight seasons are the most in all three categories between any combination of active players.
“Not only an elite player, as we all know,” Ulbrich said. “But the relationship with him and Aaron just takes his value to a whole other space for us. So, I’m super excited.”
Adams, who missed three games with a hamstring injury, joins what has suddenly become a crowded wide receiver room, joining top option Garrett Wilson, along with Allen Lazard, Mike Williams, Xavier Gipson and rookie Malachi Corley.
“I think we’ll figure that out in the next couple days, how all these pieces kind of fit together,” Ulbrich said. “It’s an exciting and a good problem to have because we’ve got a lot of different guys with a lot of different skill sets that can do a lot of things, so Todd and his staff will have some sleepless nights with some good problems.”
But, some of the bad problems remain, even with the addition of Adams.
Ulbrich’s defense can’t consistently stop the running game, as further evidenced by rookie Ray Davis gashing the Jets for 97 of the Bills’ 149 yards on the ground. New York also had 11 penalties called — although Rodgers disputed some of them by saying they were “ridiculous.” The Jets went just 1 for 4 in the red zone. And the offensive line still isn’t doing a good enough job of protecting their 40-year-old quarterback who was sacked three more times and hit five times.
“We’ve got to put four quarters together,” Ulbrich said, “and when we do that, we’re going to be a problem.”
What’s working
Joe Douglas’ phone. The general manager has been busy the past few days ironing out the details of the trade to bring in Adams. Douglas also is now talking with the new agents for holdout Haason Reddick, who is seeking a trade from New York — something owner Woody Johnson confirmed at the league meetings in Atlanta that the Jets have given him permission to pursue. It doesn’t mean Reddick is definitely a goner, but New York is at least now entertaining the idea.
What needs help
A few things, as mentioned above. But the Jets being able to score a touchdown just once in four trips inside the Bills 20 made all the difference. Oh, and Greg Zuerlein missed two field goals on a windy night, and has missed three in his past three games.
“He’s in a little bit of a rut,” Ulbrich acknowledged. “And he’s going to work his way through, like he has in an amazing 13-year career, and we have great belief in him as an organization.”
Stock up
RB Breece Hall. The third-year running back looked rejuvenated in Downing’s offense, which was expected to put more emphasis on the running game. Hall came in averaging just 3 yards a carry, but ran for a season-high 113 yards on 18 attempts — a 6.3-yard average — and caught five passes for 56 yards.
Stock down
WR Mike Williams. His role in the offense is clouded by Adams’ arrival. And it doesn’t help that he and Rodgers have failed to find any consistent chemistry. In each of the past two games, Rodgers has been intercepted to seal losses on throws to Williams. On Monday night, he underthrew Williams — Rodgers said he was in the wrong spot — and was picked off by a diving Taron Johnson. Williams was evaluated for a head injury, but Ulbrich said he cleared concussion protocol.
Injuries
S Chuck Clark was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury. … CB D.J. Reed (groin) will be evaluated during the week. … CB Michael Carter II missed the game with a back injury.
Key number
113 — That’s how many points the Jets have scored through six games with Rodgers at quarterback, the same total they had through a 3-3 start last season with Zach Wilson under center.
What’s next
The Jets have a Sunday night showdown in Pittsburgh, where Adams could make his debut for New York.
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