As Aaron Rodgers continues to determine his 2023 plans, the Packers are deviating from their previous stances regarding the future Hall of Famer’s trade drama. They would honor a Rodgers trade request this year — if he ends up making one — Mark Murphy said Friday.
The Packers president confirmed the team permitted the Jets meeting. GM Brian Gutekunst has repeatedly said he views Jordan Love as ready to play. That has undoubtedly led to a course change from the Packers, who refused to honor Rodgers’ trade request back in 2021. They then signed him to a $50.3MM-per-year extension in March 2022, but it is looking like that deal will (partially, at least) wind up on another team’s payroll in 2023.
Murphy hopes this situation to be resolved by the start of free agency, which is five days from today. The Packers and Jets have been discussing trade compensation, and a first-round pick has been rumored to be a Packers ask here. First, Rodgers still needs to inform the Packers of his intentions. At this point, his choices look like: retire, play for the Jets or put the Packers to an unusual decision.
When asked during a girls’ high school basketball playoff game (via WBAY’s Dave Schroeder), Murphy said — in a roundabout manner — he can envision a scenario in which Rodgers is still the Packers’ starting quarterback in 2023.
“Yeah, I mean, unless, if things don’t work out the way that we would want them,” Murphy said. “Yeah, he is obviously a great player.”
Gutekunst deferred to Rodgers’ four MVPs when asked in January if Rodgers or Love would give the 2023 Packers a better chance to win, but he has stumped for love throughout the offseason. Murphy, the other target of Rodgers’ ire back in 2021, confirming he gave the Jets permission does provide a clear sign the Packers are strongly considering a future without the four-time MVP. The Jets sent their owner, GM, HC and OC to California to meet with the enigmatic QB, who waited until nearly the outset of free agency to make his 2022 call as well. The Jets are part of this process now, being the frontrunners to acquire the 18-year veteran. Rodgers does not have a no-trade clause, but his frequent retirement references essentially serve as one.
The Packers would certainly take a risk in moving on from a talent like Rodgers, but they have taken the unusual step to draft a quarterback in the first round and sit him for three seasons. The fifth-year option did not exist when the Pack rolled out this strategy with Rodgers, so that differentiates these two situations. Green Bay has until shortly after the draft to pick up Love’s fully guaranteed 2024 option.
Differentiating this situation from two years ago: the Packers did not entertain trade talks with the 49ers or Broncos on Rodgers. They would have been able to pick up considerably more in a trade for the then-reigning MVP then or in 2022, but the team stayed the course. Even though the Packers want a first-rounder now, SI.com’s Albert Breer does not expect it will take that for the Jets to land the all-time great.
Farve 2.0. Next playing for Minny while Love cheers a nasty ankle injury!
Yep. GB to Minnesota via NJ. Same journey. Same underwhelming result for the Jets.
Rodgers is gonna drag this out for days now, and then tell the Packers he’s staying put, isn’t he? If I’m the Jets and Rodgers doesn’t approve the trade by tomorrow night, I’m getting very worried.
You want to time the story for maximum impact. This is the final weekend before March Madness. Aaron Rodgers makes his decision on Saturday, it’ll be dwarfed by everything coming from college basketball. Make the decision the next calendar day, it’ll be dwarfed by Selection Sunday and then by Oscar Night.
Except no one watches the Oscars… he has a window there.
Oscar Night is followed all around the world. The NFL is followed mainly in Murica.
Oscar night has been reduced to honoring the rainbow and selective ethnic groups and probably TikTok.
Earth to MDP: how many MAGA does it take to screw in a light bulb?
There’s a scenario here ChuckyNJ may have overlooked:
“We interrupt our Final Jeopardy round to bring you a special Aaron Rodgers announcement”
Agreed, he’s going nowhere. The New York media would eat him alive. He loves being a God in Green Bay.
After all the drama, I don’t think Rodgers is as revered in Green Bay as he once was. As a diehard Packers fan, I say good riddance. Time to get younger, and move on. Let’s see what Love has .
Love isn’t and shouldn’t be a starter in the NFL
To be fair to Rodgers, it’s not like the media (Mike Florio) has exactly given him fair coverage. After the vaccine controversy it was a tall task finding a positive word about anything Rodgers did at all.
The New York media can’t even cover big events in their back yard, like the Big East men’s tournament.
He’ll have to restructure his contract prior to the trade otherwise the Packers take a massive cap hit for a pre-June trade, no? Or they “trade” him but wait until June to make it official (which seems like a huge gamble on the Jets’s part (or whoever trades for him))?
I could be wrong here, but wasn’t the Stafford trade “done” in March, but not made official until June?
If GB doesn’t do a post June 1 deal here, or somehow lessen the cap hit, the FO is dumber than I thought.
I think they take a massive cap hit either way. May be more before June, but they will have a large cap hit no matter what.
Pre June 1 leaves about $40 mil in dead money. Post June 1 is roughly $16 mil.
That’s a pretty significant difference.
Execs putting their egos ahead of logic. yeah, love is ready for bikini league!
Packers are smart to find out what he can do. They need to rebuild. Not going anywhere with or without Rodgers.
Airo, I remember people saying the same thing about Favre with Rodgers waiting.
It’s still speculation and game play.
What good would it be for the Jets to bring in a one-year guy?
Do you think maybe 1 of the 4 guys asked during their visit ‘hey Rodgers, you gonna play more than 1 year for us?’ If not, they sent the wrong people.
It’s crazy that someone who has never had off field issues and has been as good as Rodgers for one franchise appears to be despised by that franchise. I completely understand why as he’s a headache for the team, but trying to think of a parallel?
Le’Veon Bell?
Ehh, Bell had a few minor things. He and LeGarrette Blount were arrested for DUI and simple possession on their way back to a team flight. He also had more than a few work ethic questions (I suppose Rodgers’ refusal to participate in the offseason is analogous, but I don’t think that anyone questions his individual work ethic), and most importantly he had that holdout. For all of Rodgers’ pouting, he never missed any games while healthy.
Anything less than a 1st round pick would be an embarrassment and make this look like the weakest organization in American sports… for once can this organization do what’s best for the PACKERS instead of what is best for Davante Adams or Aaron Rodgers or whoever.
And the Jets are in desperation mode. If they don’t get Rodgers, what’s Plan B? They will give in, a 1st and probably more conditionally.
No, I think the first rounder will be the conditional pick, especially if there’s no cap relief for the Jets. The idea I posted previously was a second this year and a range for the 2024 pick – fourth if they finish under .500, third if they finish .500 or better, second if they make the playoffs, first if they win the Super Bowl.
One player I could see going the other way is Carl Lawson. I’ve also suggested Zach Wilson and Corey Davis, but I’m not sure the Pack would do that.
What was the better move regarding Adams? They couldn’t force him to play another year there just because they tagged him. So maybe he plays maybe he doesn’t, but we know they would not have gotten the picks back via trade, and would have been stuck with the cap hit, which also means a couple guys who did want to be there wouldn’t have been signed or extended.
IMO they actually did do what was best for the Packers in that situation.
Aaron Rodgers is an arshole. Good riddance!
It isn’t about money. Rodgers wants the Jets to stock their team with old veterans.
Dear Green Bay, you don’t owe Aaron Rodgers nothing, he should honored his contract extension that he signed, instead of being big prima Donna that he is..
News flash Aaron Rodgers, did you forget that being mad at the team drafting Jordan love as replacement like you were for Brett farve who wasn’t happy they drafted you..
There’s a big difference between when Rodgers was drafted to replace Favre, and Love being drafted to replace Rodgers. Favre had been hum-hawing for 2 or 3 years about retirement. I don’t recall any mention from Rodgers about hanging them up until they drafted his replacement. Up to that point he talked a number of times about playing into his 40s, and retiring a Packer.
In short, the team made the decision to move on from Rodgers by drafting Love, then couldn’t go through with it. They haven’t been able to make up their mind to trade him, beg him to come back, or hope he retires. And that’s just since their season ended.
Favre didn’t waiver on his playing career for a couple years before Rodgers was drafted, he did so once Rodgers was drafted. Remember Rodgers was drafted 3 years before being handed the QB1 spot. Favre started wavering around the same time Rodgers was drafted. He too, thought he had more years of elite ahead of him. The Pack put the decision on him once he started waivering. The same situation is unfolding now. It also happened with TB12, and should with most “elite” players. “You drafted my replacement already? Well I am gonna show you!” Should be the heart a player goes out with until they are no longer a viable option.
Exactly. The Packers were in win-now mode when they drafted Love. What the Packers of that year desperately needed in their quest for an NFC Championship and Super Bowl was a wide receiver. Instead management drafted a rebuild QB, showing what craven second-raters they are and undermining the end of prime Aaron Rodgers.
Green Bay fans have been paying for their cowardice and short-sightedness ever since. Rodgers probably lost a ring or two over this decision. Yes, he’s bitter. Anyone competitive would be.
Does Pat McAfee have an open spot on his show?