Jets in talks with Packers, Aaron Rodgers, sources say
The New York Jets have had conversations with the Green Bay Packers and with quarterback Aaron Rodgers this week regarding a potential trade of the four-time MVP to the Jets, according to sources.
The sources said some of those conversations were expected to take place Tuesday, but that it's unclear as of Tuesday morning whether they will result in a trade.
Rodgers still has not made any announcements about what he intends to do this season. It's still possible he decides to retire, or to stay in Green Bay. But if he still wants to play and he and the Packers agree it's time for him to play somewhere else, the Jets appear to be a realistic option.
If the Jets are speaking directly with Rodgers, they and he would have had to secure the Packers' permission, as he is still under contract with Green Bay. So, the discussions Rodgers is having with the Jets indicate at least some openness on the part of the Packers to the idea of trading him there.
But there are potential complications to a deal, including Rodgers' huge and complicated contract, that might have to be addressed to make sure both teams would be in compliance with the salary cap by the start of the league year next Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET.
Rodgers is under contract through 2024 for $108.8 million. Technically, the contract, signed last March, runs through 2026, but 2025 and 2026 are considered "dummy" years for cap purposes. His deal includes a fully guaranteed $59.5 million this season, with $58.3 million coming in the form of an option bonus, payable before the start of the regular season.
Because his bonus money is prorated, Rodgers wouldn't hobble the Jets' cap. He would count $15.8 million in 2023 and $32.5 million in 2024, cap-friendly for a player of his stature.
The Packers would get hit with a $40.3 million "dead" charge in 2023 -- nearly $9 million more than he'd count if he were on the roster.
Last season Bakhtari (I will never remember how to spell this name) was injured and didn't play. Rodgers broke his thumb. The WRs were terrible to start the season, and LaFleur was very passive about fixing that. The defense was inconsistent the entire season.
Those are just the issues I can remember off the top of my head.
Rodgers might've been able to mitigate some of the offensive issues by spending time with the rookie WRs during the offseason/OTAs. We'll never know now, but it seems likely.
Basically, neither Rodgers nor the GB organization handled last season particularly well, and the results were embarrassing for them.
If Rodgers takes full advantage of this opportunity to prove last season was an outlier, puts in all the necessary work, NYJ will make the playoffs. Probably ahead of BUF, unless BUF gets another top receiving weapon and a better RB than Singletary. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Megatron96:
Last season Bakhtari (I will never remember how to spell this name) was injured and didn't play. Rodgers broke his thumb. The WRs were terrible to start the season, and LaFleur was very passive about fixing that. The defense was inconsistent the entire season.
Those are just the issues I can remember off the top of my head.
Rodgers might've been able to mitigate some of the offensive issues by spending time with the rookie WRs during the offseason/OTAs. We'll never know now, but it seems likely.
Basically, neither Rodgers nor the GB organization handled last season particularly well, and the results were embarrassing for them.
If Rodgers takes full advantage of this opportunity to prove last season was an outlier, puts in all the necessary work, NYJ will make the playoffs. Probably ahead of BUF, unless BUF gets another top receiving weapon and a better RB than Singletary.
Listening to Bills fans and it appears they need more help on both lines than anything else. They seem to highlight how Veach saw SB 55 and how bad our line was that game and went all out to build one of the best lines in football to protect Mahomes and they also remember getting zero pressure on Burrow last year. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tredadda:
Listening to Bills fans and it appears they need more help on both lines than anything else. They seem to highlight how Veach saw SB 55 and how bad our line was that game and went all out to build one of the best lines in football to protect Mahomes and they also remember getting zero pressure on Burrow last year.
I don't recall their OL being that bad when they beat us. They only gave up one sack, and Allen threw for more than 300 yards and 3 TDs?
Right now, there only legit receiving weapon is Diggs. Davis is inconsistent, and they have basically no one behind Davis that can consistently produce. Then there's the fact that they can't run the ball effectively.
I think it comes down to how badly they want to win in 2023. If they think it has to be this year, then they have to get another weapon and a good RB, and leave rebuilding the OL for another year.
If they think their window is still open in 2024, then do a mini-rebuild on the OL/DL, draft a couple WRs/RB and hope they can develop them. But Diggs is 30. And getting antsy. Not sure they can convince Diggs to wait yet another season until 2024. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Barret:
Wouldn't it be better for the Jets to just tank this year (they are used to it) and get one of the top tier QB's coming out next year?? They keep all their picks and can build a decent team this year and then get Caleb Williams from USC or Drake Maye from UNC next year. They get Rodgers for 1 maybe 2 years and then have to pay him and try to keep a team around him. How committed is he going to be when they wind up being 3rd in their division behind Miami and Buffalo.
The Jets sell out for 1 year to maybe get to the AFC Championship game to lose to the Chiefs. Where are the Jets as a team next year? They certainly can't go grab a top tier QB in the draft. They don't have the picks to move up really and their record wont be close to top 10. Where are they in 2 years when Rodgers goes on his darkness retreat and decides to retire. Right back to nothing at QB and sitting waiting for a A+++ type QB to come out again.
I guess this is what desperate franchises do when they haven't won anything since the late 60's
Ya'll are dilluted if you think the Jets are gonna pick high enough for those guys, also taking 2 QB's very high and having to trade basically a bevy of picks for the second 1 is how you get fired. [Reply]
And so it begins. Bet this goes as well as the conventional wisdom "Denver to win the AFC West and KC does not make the playoffs" from takes from last year. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mecca:
Ya'll are dilluted if you think the Jets are gonna pick high enough for those guys, also taking 2 QB's very high and having to trade basically a bevy of picks for the second 1 is how you get fired.
Diluted and deluded. Crazy stuff happening here on CP. :-) [Reply]
I'm sorry, Craig Carton is an idiot but an Aaron Rodgers Jets team is entering the draft a Top 3 team in the AFC alongside KC and the Bengals.
We'll see if the Bills land Hopkins, if KC lands Beckham, if the Bengals can keep Tee Higgins in house. And we'll see how all four teams draft. So there's some balls in the air there that have yet to land.
But my goodness, if we're just looking at rosters right now, then that Jets team has talent absolutely everywhere with a HOF QB, and that's before the draft adds talent. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Direckshun:
I'm sorry, Craig Carton is an idiot but an Aaron Rodgers Jets team is entering the draft a Top 3 team in the AFC alongside KC and the Bengals.
We'll see if the Bills land Hopkins, if KC lands Beckham, if the Bengals can keep Tee Higgins in house. And we'll see how all four teams draft. So there's some balls in the air there that have yet to land.
But my goodness, if we're just looking at rosters right now, then that Jets team has talent absolutely everywhere with a HOF QB, and that's before the draft adds talent.
