The Packers are destined to eventually receive a second-round pick from the Jets following Aaron Rodgers‘ season-ending injury. However, thanks to some specific language in the trade agreement, New York’s first-round pick will likely be locked until the end of the 2023 season.
[RELATED: Aaron Rodgers Does Not Close Door On In-Season Return]
As sources explained to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, “conditions of the trade have not yet been met.” Specifically, the Packers sought and were granted terms that would protect them in the unlikely event that Rodgers was released or traded by New York. This condition technically can’t be determined until the end of the 2023 campaign, thus putting both the Jets’ 2024 first- and second-round picks in “escrow.”
The original trade terms required Rodgers to play in at least 65 percent of New York’s offensive snaps in order for the Packers to receive a 2024 first-round pick. The teams could have accounted for a season-ending injury in the trade terms, but the Packers were preparing for the Jets’ worst-case scenario.
As Jones observes, Green Bay’s request likely stems from the organization’s previous QB trade with the Jets. When the Packers traded Brett Favre to New York, the team thought they were also preventing the quarterback from eventually landing in the NFC North. Specifically, Green Bay included a clause that would have forced the Jets to give up three first-round picks if they dealt Favre to an NFC North team.
Favre briefly retired after only one season in New York, and the Jets ended up cutting him during the offseason. He was later scooped up by the Vikings, and since a free agent hypothetical wasn’t included in the trade terms, the Packers didn’t receive any compensation. As Jones notes, the NFL abolished these “poison pill” provisions in the 2011 CBA. The organization’s most-recent tactic fit under the league’s current rules, and while the terms would have done little to ultimately impact the compensation, the provision is still having an impact on New York’s trade ability.
The league doesn’t allow teams to trade future selections that aren’t under their full control. As Jones notes, the Jets could only trade their first-round selection if they add a condition on top of the current Packers’ restrictions. The Jets could also approach the Packers about revising the original terms of the deal.
Of course, considering how deep the Jets’ roster is, the only scenario where the Jets would even consider trading their 2024 first-round pick would be if a franchise-altering QB became available. The team sounds committed to Zach Wilson for the 2023 campaign, and Rodgers has left the door open for a 2024 comeback (or even a 2023 return). Still, it’s an important situation to watch when the trade market soon heats up.
I don’t follow GB closely, but it seems strange that back to back HoF QB’s left under ugly circumstances. I forgot about Farve ‘retiring first’ before going to Minny, & Rodgers deal was a mess for 3 years.
Favre was on the fence about retirement for like 3 years before retiring, then unretiring at the start of camp and expecting GB to hand him the keys again (they drafted Rodgers in large part because 4 was already contemplating it then).
This time around, GB kinda jumped the gun (IMO) in taking Love, when 12 had been saying publicly he intended to a) play for GB his entire career and b) potentially play into his 40’s.
So while both seem to have had some kind of revenge in mind, Favre’s was more his own making, where GB made it pretty clear they were preparing to move on even though 12 gave no indication he was (that didn’t start until the last couple years).
I’m sure several people have a much different different idea of how everything went down, so don’t take my word for it.
No that pretty much summed up what happened. Favre’s situation was totally avoidable but he “retired” the packers drafted and had mini camps a and moved on with 12 and they randomly Favre decided to “unretire” which was a dick move and he knows it. Had he just been upfront and made a decision in Feb/mar the whole thing could have been avoided.
With rodgers….what you said sims it up. Gute drafted his replacement 3-5 years too early, but I’d Love ends up being our franchise qb for the next 10-12 years, then looks like it was the smart move. Rodgers and his diva and salary demands made him expendable.
My issue with all the Rodgers stuff is, it seems like every decision management has made, even before drafting Love, has contradicted the previous one.
That’s what annoys me. Oh, and I always felt they kinda panicked with the trade up to grab Love. Another thing that isn’t a popular opinion is I believed he’d be there at least until the middle of round 2. Use the 1st on a guy who might contribute right away, then move up in the second to get Love. Others swear teams were licking their chops to take him within the next 6-8 selections after Gute pulled the trigger.
@Al (solid username), last statement, those same ‘others’ are probably the same that said Daniel Jones was going between 7 and 16. its possible but never know, we don’t know if GB was scared to be w/o a qb if AR retired or forced his way out. Look at how the Colts have had to go about it the last 4 years. but that 2020 draft was so loaded with talent its tough seeing primary needs not being filled first
Something about rich, self entitled athletes that are comfortable hogging 20% of the total team payroll makes them get indignant when you don’t want to keep paying them so much money.
There is a production curve that goes up as you grow up and down as you get close to retirement but they won’t stand for their salary following the same trajectory.
Somethjng about Green Bay giving him a massive extension just last year with a metric $hit ton of dead money attached to it coming off back to back MVPs says your comment about his not wanting his salary to follow a same trajectory makes no sense. His play just only eroded last season for a multitude of reasons, starting with inferior talent and a broken thumb. Between seeing Love progress enough to the point they felt he could takeover and Rodgers waffling on retirement near the end of season they just felt it was time to move on.
Probably because there are only 32 starting NFL QBs in the United States. Market conditions and all….yeah, they deserve to be rich for what they can do and the dollars they bring in.
There’s probably only 16-20 starting QBs. A bunch of teams are just left with place holders.
16-20 QBs with the skills to succeed in their system maybe. I think there’s probably 40+ QBs that would succeed with good coaches and good OL/receivers. The 49ers model.
It’s a team sport. The current libertarian salary situation is untenable in the long term and is destroying the league. Teams cannot keep their own free agents, a single injury destroys a season, accomplished veterans with years to play are thrown onto the waste heap for rookies on rookie deals.
Fans want to see some kind of continuity to be able to know and root for “their” players. The vast majority of players (except for the top 10% by salary) would prefer to have a more stable environment where they don’t have to switch teams every two or three years to get a good deal or to keep their job.
I know packers fans are upset about only getting a second instead of a first, but if Rodgers had played the whole season it would have been a late first round pick, and now they will get a early second rounder, basically the same thing.
I think it was less expectation and a lot more hope, based on their dislike for Rodgers.
1 thing though about a late first rounder vs an early second is the 5th year option attached. So even if it had been pick 30 instead of pick 34, that could be a big deal down the road.
Not upset at all….we got a first swap and 2 seconds for 4 plays with a qb we don’t have deal with his demands and most importantly that boat anchor contract. Yeah losing the second first hurts, but if the jets are gonna jets this year like they likely will with Wilson, it’ll be a high second and still a good pick.
This Packer fan isn’t upset. As you stated the first round pick and second rounder would have been close picks anyhow.
I am not happy Rodgers is hurt. Disappointing for the Jets and football fans (nothing to do with the draft pick). I think a lot of people wanted to see how Jets would have done this year under Rodgers.
This doesn’t block a trade for a different pick that turns into this pick under certain conditions that both teams are confident will be met.
It makes it harder but it’s still possible.
Ok Gil Brandt.
So basically if they want to use a first on a QB they’ll have to negotiate with GB and offer up more than the second. Or use their second for a QB and give GB their first. Or just not use either.
He’s out for the season, how is this in dispute??
It’s not in dispute. Both picks are locked up through the year just as they would have been if Rodgers was still playing.
He’s 100% not playing 65% of the offensive snaps. The compensation is absolutely positively not going to be a 1st. So what’s the point of locking up the 1st?
I would venture a guess that at whatever point the 65% of games/snaps played becomes officially out of reach, they theoretically could go ahead and trade the 1st rounder..except I’m not sure that can realistically come to pass BEFORE the trade deadline. Thus, they couldn’t trade it at that point anyway.
This whole situation makes me worry that NFL trades will become as complicated as NBA deals.
By that point it won’t matter, the trade deadline would be long past. Not that there’s any trade in the world of sports that will fix this team