The Buccaneers loaded up their roster with Tom Brady-approved acquisitions in 2020, adding the likes of Rob Gronkowski, Leonard Fournette and Antonio Brown. Of course, those players became Buccaneers after Brady committed. The Jets may be dealing with a different situation.
Aaron Rodgers has given the Jets a free agency wish list that includes a few ex-Packers — Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Marcedes Lewis — but Dianni Russini of ESPN.com reports the future Hall of Fame quarterback also wants the team to acquire Odell Beckham Jr. (Twitter link). Both the Jets and Raiders are believed to be interested in Lewis, despite the tight end going into an age-39 season, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
It should not be assumed Rodgers will only commit to the Jets if they land all these targets, but the team has been connected to each of the ex-Packers already. The Packers were interested in OBJ back in 2021 as well, though the team stood down and let him sign with the Rams. This marks the first known Beckham-Jets connection, with his previous return-to-New York rumors involving his former team. The Giants, along with the Cowboys, Rams and others, are still believed to be interested in Beckham. Given the QB circumstances at play, the Jets should be counted among the talented but injury-prone wideout’s suitors.
The Jets and Packers have discussed a Rodgers trade for a while, and while it is not known if the parties have agreed to all terms, the holdup here is believed to be Rodgers’ interest in becoming a Jet. The four-time MVP has still not committed to playing a 19th season, despite a round of Jets players sending out celebratory tweets Monday. Putting out a free agency wish list, however, does point to Rodgers being prepared to suit up again.
Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson is obviously not going anywhere, but the Jets’ receiver room could look quite different soon — depending on how many of Rodgers’ guys the team acquires. The Jets have Corey Davis under contract for one more season, but with $10MM-plus in savings attached to cutting him, that should be considered a possible outcome. Elijah Moore and Denzel Mims also remain on Gang Green’s roster, each attached to rookie contracts. Both were in trade rumors last year; the Jets shopped Mims but did not honor Moore’s trade request.
Even as the Jets have made a run of overtures to Rodgers, the team rearranging its skill-position depth chart before he agrees to join them would be a notable development. Rodgers committing and then the team making an effort to add his preferred weaponry would be more in line with how Brady played it three years ago. While this might be a LeBron James-style effort to apply extra pressure to a team to acquire his preferred weaponry, he also may already be committed to the Jets. The latter scenario would make this list easier to understand, compared to an ultimatum.
As for Beckham, this represents another opportunity for him to maximize his value. It is unknown if he is interested in teaming up with Rodgers, but the 30-year-old wideout is once again seeking money seemingly well out of step with his value. Beckham was connected to a $20MM-per-year ask during his December free agency sweepstakes; that number has come up once again. While OBJ is extraordinarily unlikely to approach that price point, given his two ACL tears and missed season, this Rodgers tie could help him on the market.
Lewis was with the Packers throughout new Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett‘s Green Bay stay. He could profile as a third tight end for a team that already employs C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin. A longtime Rodgers ally, Cobb has played 10 of his 12 NFL seasons with the all-time QB great. Rodgers drove the Packers, calling off his trade request, to reacquire him in 2021.
Oh boy. Them missing out on free agent QBs like Carr and Jimmy G and then signing all of these aging dudes including OBJ (who has still has big contract demands) only for Rodgers to back away and retire would be peak Jets.
I thought they were just a QB away……
Was thinking the same thing. What would be worse is if they sign all of those guys and then rodgers either stays in GB or just retires
Rodgers does a lot of weird stuff but I can’t imagine him pulling that one on his teammates. He would be alienating a lot of guys who are actually friends with him.
Yeah I doubt he backs out. It’s not like he’s having them sign players who would otherwise be out of the league. They don’t need the opportunity to catch passes from Zach Wilson, they wouldn’t go to the Jets if that was going to be the case.
Rodgers won’t screw these guys over. He just has the leverage now to ensure the Jets follow through, first.
There are no other bidders, right? No mystery teams? They still need a massive overpay to let everyone know they are the Jets.
Mystery team = Packers.
You are really bad in reading between the lines. My friend Rogers is coming to theJets, he agreed awhile back and told the jets to get certain people. Trust me I wish I could bet you.
I’ll bet you Rogers isn’t coming to the Jets but Rodgers is.
@vinman66: We all know he’s coming to the Jets. No need to read between any lines. What I’m saying is that if it somehow blew up in the Jets’s face after all of this obvious planning, it would be typical Jets.
Ugh. I really don’t want Rodgers. But unfortunately we’re backed up against the wall here
Hopefully you don’t spend a lot of money on OBJ. I could see him coming back and being useful or even good, but if his reported $20 million/year asking price is remotely true, then yikes. Maybe having Rodgers there and that defense would make him lower his contract demands.
Swapping in Lazard for Davis makes football and cap sense. If Rodgers wants one more old buddy for little cap commitment, it’s not a big deal. The Lewis one is the oddest one, given that the Jets already committed to a gaggle of marginal tight ends last year.
“So Aaron, about the last item on your list… I don’t think we can change the team name to the “New York Rodgers”.
Jets have a lot of talent at the wideout spot Their QB’s rarely got them the ball. Now this. It’s one thing to want an aging star QB but another yo acquiesce to his demands which may supplant some of talent already there.
Sorry. Wasn’t impressed by Rodgers or his buddies in Green Bay last season
I think people are blowing our current talent level out of proportion. Garrett Wilson is a stud, yes. Corey Davis is a solid #2 but only suits up about 60% of the time and then plays through injuries in half of those games. We don’t really know about Elijah Moore. Wilson was able to produce with bad QB play, Moore wasn’t. Mims can’t even earn enough respect to get on the field and when he does, makes some bonehead plays. Conklin is solid, albeit unspectacular. Uzomah is average. Ruckert has a lot to improve on… Don’t even get me started on the OL.
I think we can be a playoff team with Rodgers, but not one without faults.
Ruckert graded well in limited chances at blocking….good sign
I would tell him to kiss my azz.
My gawd. The Jets REALLY messed up just not signing Carr. This is just getting embarrassing. Old man Aaron wants them to make their roster old and worse than it was last season. If I’m the Jets, I suck up my pride and tell him to enjoy another season in GB..Bcs no other team is even entertaining his nonsense.
I would have preferred the Carr route, too, but this will not make us worse from a talent standpoint. Lazard > Davis, if for nothing other than Davis is constantly out with injury and when he isn’t is playing through something nagging. OBJ is a question mark due to health, so maybe a lateral move compared to Davis, but I’d bet on him before I’d bet on Davis. Our TEs are already mediocre, so probably just lateral moves there, too.
Bucs did it with brady
Already the newest GM in NY. To beg Aaron to be there QB reeks of desperation. Smells like a lost season already. But this is what all the new QB’s see, they can take power from organizations that will allow it.
Sooner or later the young stud WR’s Jets have will realize they are going to go from 10 targets a game to 3. I’m sure they will be cool with that after all he’s a HOF QB
I’m sure the Jets leaked this. They had to. To at least save face while trying to back out.
It would only be a win for the jets if they dont give away any first round draft picks. My take is that the AFC is stacked with top notch QBs and if winning the superbowl is the only justifiable solution to this trade, from the jets perspective, then go for it but honestly I dont see it. Use Rogers the same way packers did with Love and that is to teach and pass it on. Rogers is a super short term solution and jets have to think long term goals.
Jets are pathetic…. Simping over an aging QB coming off the worst season of his career. Only the Jets lol
As long as he doesn’t steal from Mississippi welfare coffers he’s ahead of the curve in my view of aging diva QBs.
Maybe they would trade bhaktiari for a first rounder as well
Already making demands of a team he’s not even officially traded to. I think that’s the definition of a diva. Good luck, NY.
Rodgers couldn’t win with his good ol boys in GB, let’s get rid of all the Jets wideouts and try it in gang green. Diva.
Jets don’t need Odell. They got Moore and Wilson.
This is embarrassing even for the Jets.
It appears all the cosmic elements are in alignment for the Jets to execute another BUTT FUMBLE.
“They’re a QB away” … maybe from the playoffs but from a Super Bowl; not a chance.
Rodgers might get them to the playoffs, maybe a playoff win, but he’s not the missing piece to the Super Bowl
looked like Corey Davis was gonna be a cap causality a week ago, now I think he will be part of the Rodgers trade and headed back to GB. I see Jets only getting Lazard & Cobb. Don’t need Studebaker Davis or OBJ (who priced himself out of Jets budget)