Aaron Rodgers

Jets, Aaron Rodgers Working Towards Restructured Contract

April 28th, 2023 at 4:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

The main takeaway from the Jets’ acquisition of Aaron Rodgers was, understandably, the draft capital they paid the Packers, and the impact he will have on New York’s Super Bowl aspirations. Another factor of interest, though, is Rodgers’ contract.

As of now, the Packers are set to incur a dead cap charge of just over $40MM, a far larger figure than the roughly $15MM he is scheduled to count against the Jets’ cap in 2023. A re-worked contract is the holdup to this blockbuster trade becoming official, and will no doubt have an effect on the way it is ultimately viewed. As Jets owner Woody Johnson recently stated, though, the price New York paid caused “zero” hesitation to sign off on the move.

ESPN’s Rich Cimini confirms that Rodgers’ agent, David Dunn, is still in the process of negotiating a new deal with the Jets. Doing so could provide much-needed clarity on how long the 39-year-old plans to play in the Big Apple, since he did not confirm his intention to continue his career beyond 2023.

On that point, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that the end result of negotiations could be a two-year Jets pact allowing Rodgers to receive the full compensation he is owed in 2023 and ’24. That figure sits at $108MM, as a result of the new deal he agreed to with the Packers last offseason; much of it is made up of the option bonus he was initially due to earn this season ($58.3MM). Florio adds that the bonus is now expected to be paid out next year.

Of course, committing to Rodgers over the next two campaigns will be a worthwhile investment on the Jets’ part if he can return to his pre-2022 form. New York has taken a number of steps aimed at making sure that takes place, including the addition of players on his reported ‘wish list.’ Before that point, though, the team had already hired ex-Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to guide their offense.

Hackett (who flamed out as the Broncos’ head coach in 2022 after struggling mightily to orchestrate a serviceable offense) has a long-standing relationship with Rodgers, something which should help the pair in their attempt to duplicate their success of years past. The latter, to no surprise, named the veteran coach as a factor in his decision to head to New York.

“A big reason I’m here, I gotta mention, is Nathaniel Hackett, who is here,” Rodgers said, via NBC Sports’ Ryan Taylor. “Hack and I became really close friends for three years in Green Bay. I love him like a brother. And I believe in him. And I’m really happy to be back working with him.”

Assuming a new contract is ironed out in the near future, Rodgers will be cleared to join his new team and officially begin the second chapter of his NFL career. The particulars, from a financial standpoint, could go a long way in determining the Jets’ ability to make any further moves in the post-draft portion of the offseason.

Aaron Rodgers Not Committing To Playing Beyond 2023; QB Plans To Attend Jets OTAs

April 26th, 2023 at 11:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets and Packers announced the Aaron Rodgers trade Wednesday, and the 19th-year veteran looks set to deviate from his previous 2020s offseasons.

Rodgers said he plans to be in the building Thursday and suggested he will be present for the Jets’ offseason workouts, via SNY’s Connor Hughes and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter links). Rodgers did not attend voluntary Packers workouts in 2021 or ’22. Seeing as there were no onsite workouts during the spring and summer of 2020, it has been a bit since Rodgers last attended his team’s OTAs. Elaborating, Rodgers said he will attend “a lot” of the offseason program, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini.

OTA attendance stands to matter less for Rodgers here compared to some other legendary QBs who changed teams. While Peyton Manning and Tom Brady were joining new offensive systems — schemes eventually tailored to the all-time greats’ preferences — Rodgers will follow new Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett to the Big Apple. While Hackett did not call plays in Green Bay, Rodgers has spoken highly of him. It is safe to expect Hackett to install the offense Matt LaFleur uses in Green Bay.

But Rodgers attending voluntary workouts will allow for time for him to develop a rapport with the non-Allen Lazard skill players on the Jets’ roster. It took Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson a while to be on the same page as Rodgers last season. It appears the relocating QB will make a change as he adjusts to the likes of Garrett Wilson, Mecole Hardman and the Jets’ tight end corps. Corey Davis, for now, also remains a Jet.

Expected spring attendance aside, Rodgers is not yet committing to playing beyond this season. The 15-year Packers starter did not shut down a 2024 return, via the Washington Post’s Mark Maske (Twitter link), but he will continue a year-to-year arrangement. Rodgers, 39, once sounded interested in playing into his 40s. In recent years, however, he had flirted with retirement.

This offseason, Rodgers admitted he was “90% retired” before his winter darkness retreat. Still, the four-time MVP hinted that playing into the mid-2020s was a possibility.

“The reason I take care of myself is because I’ve always dreamed about being a starter into my 40s,” Rodgers said Wednesday (via Cimini and the Green Bay Press-Gazette’s Ryan Wood). “I turn 40 later this year. I’m going to be here for the foreseeable future. … They definitely gave up some picks for me to be here, so this isn’t like one-and done in my mind.”

Although rumors indicated Rodgers’ potential return in 2024 could end up affecting the teams’ trade package, Monday’s agreement did not include any term fluctuation regarding the QB’s plans beyond this year. The only conditional component to the trade is Rodgers’ 2023 participation. If he plays at least 65% of the Jets’ offensive snaps this season, the 2024 pick exchanged will be upgraded to a first. If an injury prevents Rodgers from hitting that benchmark, the Packers will collect a second-rounder.

When the Jets went through a similar process with Brett Favre in 2008, the team ended up receiving just one season from Rodgers’ Packer predecessor. Favre retired for a second time, and the Jets released his rights. Language in the 2008 trade effectively prevented the Jets from trading Favre to the Vikings, his 2009 destination, and the team largely went with rookie-contract QBs for the next 15 years. Zach Wilson‘s performance over the past two seasons, however, changed the organization’s plans. Rodgers will be expected to make the Jets a Super Bowl contender in a loaded AFC.

More adjustments are coming to Rodgers’ contract, but Pelissero adds he did make a change to his deal that saved the Packers some cash. He signed a revised Green Bay deal Tuesday afternoon; the restructure pushes all but a minimum salary and a small workout bonus into 2024. The expected move will save the Pack $14.58MM in 2023 cap space (all Twitter links). The $58.3MM bonus converts to a 2024 base salary, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein (on Twitter). Rodgers’ three-year, $150.8MM deal now includes a $107.6MM payment in 2024; the Jets will obviously adjust that figure at some point. Rodgers still counts $40.3MM in Packers dead money, but Silverstein adds the NFC North team will be clear of Rodgers cap hits by 2024.

For those interested, Rodgers will wear No. 8 (his number at Cal) out of respect to Joe Namath, whose Jets No. 12 jersey is retired.

Jets GM Talks Rodgers Trade, Compensation, Zach Wilson

April 25th, 2023 at 8:19pm CST by Ben Levine

The Aaron Rodgers-to-Jets trade is all but official. According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter), the future Hall of Fame quarterback will be introduced at a press conference tomorrow afternoon. Rodgers himself acknowledged the impending move, writing a farewell to Packers fans on Instagram this evening (via NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on Twitter).

Meanwhile, Connor Hughes of SNYtv hinted on Twitter that we’ll soon learn the details of Rodgers’ reworked contract with the Jets, potentially as soon as tomorrow. During his press conference today, Jets general manager Joe Douglas indicated that there had been “positive” discussions between the Jets front office and the quarterback’s representatives.

Douglas touched on a number of additional subjects during his press conference today, mostly related to the acquisition of the former MVP. We’ve compiled some of the notable soundbites below (h/t to the team’s website):

On the process of negotiating with the Packers after Rodgers stated his desire to play for the Jets:

“You never want to get too far ahead of yourself. Really, you felt honored back a few weeks ago when Aaron said he wanted to be a New York Jet. You felt honored, you felt good. That’s what Robert [Saleh] has been able to do here so that a player like Aaron Rodgers wants to be here.”

On the draft compensation the Jets sent to Green Bay, a swap of first-round picks (which Douglas acknowledged was one of the final components of the agreed-upon deal, per Cimini on Twitter):

“Obviously, we’re comfortable with how this deal shaped. I don’t think anyone ever walks away from a negotiation where you feel like you won everything in terms of what’s gone back and forth. But ultimately, our goal from the beginning was to add Aaron to the team, so we were able to get that. We agreed to terms yesterday and we’re just excited to bring him here.”

On their decision to pair their youthful roster with a 39-year-old quarterback:

“He’s not very far removed from back-to-back MVPs. You still have someone that maybe didn’t play at 100 percent [health-wise] throughout the year but still performed at a high level. … His relationship with Nathaniel [Hackett] and some of the other players that are on the team, we feel obviously that it’s an adjustment when you’re somewhere for 18 years. But we feel with the people we have in place, he can get comfortable quickly.”

On former second-overall pick Zach Wilson, who will now serve as Rodgers’ backup:

“I feel like this is going to be a great thing for Zach. Zach’s ceiling is unlimited. No one works harder, no one loves ball more than Zach Wilson, and him having the opportunity to really shadow and be with a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback every day, every hour he’s in the building, that’s a great opportunity and a great experience.”

Jets, Packers Agree On Aaron Rodgers Trade

April 24th, 2023 at 11:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

After several weeks of negotiations, the Jets and Packers agreed to a deal Monday. Aaron Rodgers is heading to the Big Apple for a picks package that includes first-rounders changing hands, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports (on Twitter).

Fifteen years after it took only a conditional third-rounder for the Jets to land Brett Favre, the latest future Hall of Fame Packers QB fetched the NFC North franchise a much bigger haul. Here are the trade terms:

Packers receive:

2023 first-round pick (No. 13 overall)
2023 second-round pick (No. 42)
2023 sixth-rounder (No. 207)
2024 conditional second-round pick, which can become a first if Rodgers plays 65% of the Jets’ offensive plays this season

Jets receive:

Rodgers
2023 first-round pick (No. 15)
2023 fifth-round pick (No. 170)

As part of this trade agreement, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) Rodgers is expected to sign a revised contract to help the Packers’ cap. As it stands now, a trade would tag the Pack with $40.3MM in dead money. The adjusted contract is expected to keep the trade from becoming official for a bit, and Brian Gutekunst said (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) the deal is not yet final and that he has not yet spoken with Rodgers. But with the terms agreed to, this weeks-long process is near the goal line. The sixth-year Packers GM said the expectation is this will be official before the draft, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

As it stands now, the Jets will owe Rodgers a $58.3MM bonus this year. It is not known how a restructure would affect the Jets’ cap, but as of now, Rodgers would be set to count barely $15MM on the AFC East team’s 2023 payroll.

This represents an interesting trade package for the Packers, as the deal does not contain any protection for the Jets if Rodgers retires after this season. At the very least, Green Bay will receive two additional second-rounders for Rodgers. The Canton-bound QB has played at least 65% of the Packers’ offensive snaps in all but two of his 15 seasons as a starter (excepting 2013 and 2017). That points to the Packers receiving the Jets’ 2024 first-rounder. Although Gutekunst said recently it would not require a first-round pick for the Packers to unload Rodgers, it looks more likely than not this deal will lead to a future first coming back to the Pack.

Rodgers met with the Jets in early March and expressed interest in joining the team soon after. The Jets also met with Derek Carr, but the Saints came in with a big offer to ramp up the pressure on Gang Green to come away with the four-time MVP. Rodgers’ current contract — a $50.3MM-per-year deal agreed to in March 2022 — runs through 2025.

While Rodgers said years ago he would love to play into his 40s, the legendary passer has flirted with retirement for a bit now. It should not be considered a lock Rodgers plays more than one season with the Jets; he said he was 90% retired going into his much-discussed darkness retreat. Favre retirement No. 2 occurred after one Jets season; an even brighter spotlight figures to be on the 2023 Jets as a result of the trade for Favre’s successor.

Shortly after signing Mecole Hardman, the Jets dealt Elijah Moore to the Browns. Armed with two second-rounders, the Jets used the first of those in this trade. They will enter this draft with a pick two spots down in Round 1, but ahead of this pivotal Rodgers-led season, Gang Green still has first- and second-round picks with which to bolster their roster.

Although rumors about this latest Jets-Packers QB blockbuster not being done by the draft circulated, this will cut the cord ahead of the team’s first offseason with Jordan Love in the starter’s spot. Talks intensified late last week, per Schefter and ESPN’s Rich Cimini, and continued into the weekend. It is safe to say the Jets will top their 2022 total of primetime games (one) this season. While the Packers’ number figures to dip, Love’s effort to follow one of the game’s all-time greats will certainly generate considerable attention as well.

In January, Gutekunst deferred to Rodgers’ four MVPs when asked if the longtime starter or Love gave the 2023 team a better chance to win. Rodgers expected to be welcomed back to Green Bay, but as the offseason progressed, this relationship — which produced a 2021 fracture that included a Rodgers trade request — encountered more turbulence. After the Packers traded up for Love in 2020, Rodgers said the prospect of him finishing his career with the Packers no longer appeared certain. The Love pick did precede back-to-back MVPs — both seasons featuring new Jets OC Nathaniel Hackett in a non-play-calling OC role — and Rodgers deciding he wanted to play the 2022 season in Green Bay. But after a disappointing season, trade winds blew again.

Rodgers, 39, is coming off a down year. He finished 26th in QBR and saw his counting stats dip across the board. But the veteran passer was playing through injuries. A broken thumb and a rib malady affected Rodgers, who was also playing without Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. While second-round pick Christian Watson showed late-season promise, a Watson-Romeo Doubs–Allen Lazard troika represented a considerable step down from Rodgers’ previous receiving corps. This led to the Packers falling from back-to-back No. 1 seeds to 8-9 and out of the playoffs, inviting more questions about Rodgers’ Wisconsin future.

The Packers have Love tied to only one more year of low-wage salaries, with their latest extended QB transition mostly preventing them from building around the valuable rookie-QB contract, but the team will finally gauge the Utah State alum’s viability as a long-term starter. The Packers must decide on Love’s fifth-year option — worth $20.27MM — by May 2. Love has thrown 83 career passes. His lone start of consequence — a November 2021 Arrowhead Stadium tilt — did not go well, but the Packers are believed to have seen substantial growth in 2022. That said, the team going from Rodgers to Love invites tremendous risk. After a 6-10 starter debut in 2008, Rodgers — one of the greatest players in franchise history — proved the Packers right. Will Love do the same?

While Love is still an unknown commodity, the Jets had seen enough from Zach Wilson. The former No. 2 overall pick entered his rookie and sophomore NFL seasons unchallenged for the starting role, but after failing to make strides in his second season, Wilson landed on the bench after holding a much-improved Jets defense back. Mike White‘s injury issues moved Wilson back into the starting lineup late last season, but the BYU product’s future as a Jets contributor is very much in doubt. After White left for Miami, Wilson remains in place as a backup, but his future as a Jets starter — this early-career redshirt effort notwithstanding — is probably over. Two years remain on Wilson’s rookie contract.

The Wilson-to-Rodgers upgrade will be massive, regardless of the latter’s 2023 form. Rodgers is a 10-time Pro Bowler who piloted the Packers to five NFC championship games and a Super Bowl XLV win. The Packers generated steady criticism for not achieving enough with Rodgers under center, but the team largely eschewed free agency during the bulk of Ted Thompson‘s GM tenure. Gutekunst proved more active, but his 2022 receiver plan constrained the superstar QB.

The Jets have operated aggressively, adding Lazard and Hardman at receiver (and pursuing Odell Beckham Jr.), and trading for safety Chuck Clark. Rodgers has begun recruiting for his new team, making a pitch to Calais Campbell, who ultimately signed with the Falcons. But it should not be expected the Jets are done adding veterans around their biggest QB name in at least 15 years. Like the Buccaneers were with Tom Brady and the Broncos with Peyton Manning, the Jets can safely be classified as “all in” around their QB prize.

They were not on the radar when Rodgers initially asked to be traded. The Broncos loomed as the most likely destination, but while the Packers could have obtained more in a 2021 or 2022 trade with Denver, a Hackett reunion will instead transpire in New York. Denver being unable to land Rodgers led the team to Russell Wilson and Hackett — after a disastrous partnership — becoming the third HC since the 1970 merger to be fired before his first season ended. Hackett will have a fascinating bounce-back opportunity.

After whiffing on Wilson and not hitting on other first-round QBs (Mark Sanchez, Sam Darnold), the Jets committed to finding a veteran and acquired the biggest name available. But this introduces high stakes. The jobs of Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas, after the team ended last season on a six-game losing streak, may well be tied to Rodgers’ 2023 success. The Jets, however, stand to be a factor in a loaded AFC. This Rodgers-in-New York period promises to be one of the most interesting partnerships in NFL history.

Packers, Jets Resume Aaron Rodgers Talks

April 23rd, 2023 at 10:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

More than one month has passed since Aaron Rodgers went public with his desire to play for the Jets in 2023. That led to the widespread belief a trade would soon follow, but neither New York nor Green Bay has operated with much urgency to finalize a move.

After a period without talks taking place, the two sides have resumed negotiating (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). That comes as no surprise, with the upcoming draft being frequently mentioned as a logical deadline for a price (and the handling of Rodgers’ contract, which includes a $58.3MM bonus owing sometime in 2023) to be agreed upon. The first or second day of the draft could very well see a deal come to fruition, depending on the nature of the draft capital which ends up being exchanged.

That has remained the sticking point throughout this process, with the Packers reportedly being willing to accept an offer not involving a first-round pick for the four-time MVP. The Jets have, understandably, been hesitant to part with a Day 1 pick this year or next for a 39-year-old player, though that factor could complicate the situation to the point where conditional selections are included in the final deal.

Green Bay remains hopeful that a 2024 first-rounder could be coming their way, but in the immediate future it remains likely that New York will part with at least one of their second-rounders. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes that one of the Jets’ Day 2 selections (Nos. 42 and 43) is still at the heart of the agreement, most of which is in place. Matt Schneidman of The Athletic corroborates that notion, adding that a trade finalized during this week’s draft will all-but assuredly include at least one of New York’s first three selections (subscription required).

The Jets could be well-positioned to add further to their new-look offense (built in no small part with the assumption that Rodgers will be at the helm soon) especially if one of the class’ top tackles are still on the board at No. 13. Their decision to move on from wideout Elijah Moore generated their extra second-rounder, and keeping one would allow them to add another notable rookie to an already strong roster. The team’s window to compete in a crowded AFC would obviously accelerate if Rodgers were indeed to head to the Big Apple for one or more seasons.

Rapoport adds that nothing is imminent at this point, but hope exists on both sides that a trade can cross the finish line this week. Such a development would put an end to one of the league’s top offseason storylines, and represent a crucial inflection point for each franchise for at least the short-term future.

NFC South Notes: Campbell, Maye, Sanders

April 23rd, 2023 at 11:48am CST by Rory Parks

Defensive lineman Calais Campbell has accomplished a great deal in his NFL career, though he has never won a Super Bowl ring. So it came as something of a surprise when the six-time Pro Bowler, who is entering his age-37 season, agreed to sign with the Falcons in March after the Ravens made him a cap casualty. After all, Atlanta has not made the playoffs since 2018 and will be starting Desmond Ridder — a 2022 third-round choice who made just four starts in his rookie campaign — at quarterback.

Still, when this offseason arrived, the Falcons had free agency money to spend for the first time in the Terry Fontenot/Arthur Smith era, and they have been especially aggressive in bolstering their defense. Jessie Bates, Mike Hughes, Kaden Elliss, and David Onyemata were signed, and as Mike Rothstein of ESPN.com writes, adding those talents and a player like Campbell supports the message that Fontenot and Smith want to convey: that Atlanta is ready to compete and is a prime destination for high-end talent.

Campbell acknowledged that the uncertainty of the NFC South played a role in his decision (Twitter link via Rothstein), and he believes that the Falcons will indeed contend for a playoff spot in 2023. He spoke glowingly of his meetings with Smith, Fontenot, and new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, and he also watched tape of Ridder. All of that turned the Falcons from a team that was not on Campbell’s radar into the team for which he eschewed an extended free agency courtship.

Now for more from the NFC South, starting with several more items on Campbell and the Falcons:

Campbell said that more teams were interested in his services in 2023 than during his free agency stay in 2022, which ultimately concluded with a new deal with Baltimore. He also said he was “close” to signing with another club this year before agreeing to terms with the Falcons, though that mystery team did not make him feel the same way Atlanta did. In addition to his meetings with the Jaguars and Falcons, he had visits with the Jets and Bills on the docket, and he told CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson during an episode of The Crew podcast that Aaron Rodgers — who is expected to join the Jets in the near future — texted him and implored him to sign with Gang Green (Twitter link via Ari Meirov of The33rdTeam.com).
As Campbell explained in the above-referenced podcast, the Jets tried to get a deal done with him even before his would-be visit with New York, so perhaps they were the team that he nearly picked over the Falcons. And, per Rothstein, another factor that worked in the Falcons’ favor is that Atlanta plans to use him as a “true D-end,” meaning that he will line up on the edge on first and second downs.
Saints safety Marcus Maye was arrested in September on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm. As Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk wrote last month, those charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence. As most NFL fans know by now, the absence of criminal charges does not mean that a player will avoid league punishment, but since the time of Williams’ report, nothing has emerged on that front.
Running back Miles Sanders signed a four-year, $25MM contract with the Panthers in March, a deal that features $13MM in guaranteed money. Sanders indicated that the presence of Duce Staley, whom Carolina recently hired as its assistant head coach & running backs coach, was a big reason for his decision to join the Panthers (Twitter link via ESPN’s David Newton). Sanders spent the first four years of his career (2019-22) with the Eagles, and Staley was Philadelphia’s assistant head coach and running backs coach for the first two of those seasons.

Packers Still Seeking Jets First-Rounder In Aaron Rodgers Trade

April 13th, 2023 at 10:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brian Gutekunst said the eventual Aaron Rodgers trade does not need to include a first-round pick, but it seems like the Packers have not abandoned hopes of collecting one from the Jets in these long-running trade talks.

The Packers are still angling to acquire the Jets’ 2024 first-round pick, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com said during an appearance on the Wilde and Tausch show with veteran reporter Jason Wilde and ex-Packers O-lineman Mark Tauscher. The Packers do not appear to be going after the Jets’ No. 13 pick this year, but Robinson adds they want a 2023 second-rounder and the 2024 first.

New York acquired an additional second-round pick in the Elijah Moore trade and now holds the Nos. 42 and 43 selections this year; the team is willing to give up at least a second-rounder in this deal. It should be expected one of them will be included in a Rodgers trade, and the talks could run up to Day 2 of this year’s draft. Unloading Rodgers by that point and picking up at least one high 2023 draft choice would be the best way for the Packers to give Rodgers’ successor, Jordan Love, more help after an 8-9 season. Should a trade not be completed by the draft, a number of possibilities enter the equation.

The Jets are balking at including a 2024 first-rounder in this deal, per Robinson, who said the Packers are open to including a 2025 draft choice in the swap in the event Rodgers retires after this coming season. Woody Johnson looks to be leading the holdup here, aiming to avoid a Broncos-like scenario that sees the asset struggling after the team parted with a monster trade haul. While the (post-Nathaniel Hackett) Wilson-Denver book is not closed, Seattle does hold the team’s No. 5 overall pick. It would seem Rodgers’ success in the Hackett-Matt LaFleur offense would protect the Jets against a similar combustion, but the 39-year-old QB’s annual retirement flirtations obviously have the Jets skittish about overpaying here.

At a Jets event recently, GM Joe Douglas expressed confidence Rodgers will soon be Big Apple-bound. The Packers owe Rodgers nearly $60MM, but that payment — which can be sent any time between now and Week 1 — is expected to be the Jets’ responsibility. How to restructure Rodgers’ $50.3MM-per-year contract — which runs through 2025 — represents a part of these trade talks as well.

With the Packers undoubtedly wanting no part of that near-$60MM payment, Rodgers will almost definitely be off their roster by Week 1. This process dragging past the draft would still turn up the heat a bit on the Jets, who will surely want Rodgers rostered before at least minicamp in June or training camp at the latest. The Jets standing down as Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo signed elsewhere obviously increases the pressure to acquire Rodgers, though Ryan Tannehill could conceivably become an emergency backup plan. The Jets have joined the rest of the league in not pursuing Lamar Jackson.

The Jets did not acquire Brett Favre until early August 2008, and with Rodgers spending the past four seasons running the offense Hackett will implement, assimilation is probably not a significant Jets concern. But the Jets can also attempt to wait out the Packers, as that bonus payment looms. That said, Rodgers developing chemistry with Garrett Wilson and Mecole Hardman will be important for the Jets, who gave longtime Rodgers auxiliary target Allen Lazard an $11MM-per-year deal.

It cost only a conditional third-round pick for the Jets to acquire Favre’s rights 15 years ago. Johnson was part of those negotiations, but his team will need to pay more for Favre’s successor. Day 2 of this year’s draft (April 28) will be the first major deadline in these negotiations.

Latest On Jets’ Pursuit Of Aaron Rodgers

April 8th, 2023 at 12:17pm CST by Ben Levine

We heard earlier this week that Jets owner Woody Johnson was starting to feel anxious about the lack of progress on an Aaron Rodgers trade. Joe Douglas did his part to quell any concern during a WFAN appearance last night, telling the crowd that Rodgers is “gonna be here” (h/t to ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter).

While Douglas has been careful with his wording while discussing Rodgers with the media, he’s also expressed continuous optimism that the two sides would eventually agree to compensation. However, Rich Cimini is cautioning (on Twitter) that this latest declaration isn’t a hint that a trade is pending.

The ESPN reporter notes that Douglas was playing to a “pro-Jets crowd,” and he cautions that nothing has changed on the trade front. Cimini refers back to Douglas’s comments during last month’s owners meetings, when the GM stated that he was “very optimistic” about acquiring the future Hall of Famer; Cimini says there’s been no progress since that time.

We heard recently that the two sides had completed most of the trade details but were still haggling over the exact compensation. While some pundits initially believed that the Packers would ask for New York’s 13th-overall selection, it’s seeming unlikely that the Jets will have to surrender a Day 1 pick. Rather, the general sentiment is that Green Bay will ultimately receive a Day 2 pick (perhaps the No. 43 pick acquired in the Elijah Moore trade) plus a conditional draft pick that hinges on Rodgers’ performance and decision on the 2024 season.

There’s always a chance the Packers could play hardball, but even the most pessimistic fan would be hard pressed to doubt Douglas’s sentiment. Rodgers has publicly stated his desire to play for the Jets next season, and the Packers have also all but cut ties with their franchise quarterback. This leaves Green Bay with little leverage in trade talks, and while they could continue to delay the transaction in hopes of squeezing out a few more assets, it’s only a matter of time before Rodgers is in New York.

Despite not being on the official roster, that hasn’t stopped Rodgers from working out with some of his former/future teammates. As passed along by Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, Rodgers worked out with wide receiver Allen Lazard this week. The wideout spent five seasons with Rodgers in Green Bay, including a 2022 campaign where he finished with career-highs in receptions (60) and receiving yards (788). Lazard inked a four-year contract with the Jets last month.

Jets Rumors: Beckham, Rodgers, Lawson, OL, Elliott

April 2nd, 2023 at 7:34pm CST by Ely Allen

Free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. made quite a few headlines during the league’s recent owners’ meetings in Arizona. One such headline came from Rich Cimini of ESPN who reported that the veteran wideout was seeking a one-year deal worth $15MM.

It’s a bit difficult to imagine a team dedicating that kind of capital to a 30-year-old wide receiver who is coming off his second ACL injury in three years. Beckham is still a talented athlete and displayed his abilities during his short time with the Rams. Cimini estimates that a contract worth $10-12MM is much more likely for Beckham. In terms of annual average value, this would place Beckham just under Corey Davis and over players like Michael Gallup, Curtis Samuel, and Tim Patrick.

Despite bits of buzz concerning a few other teams, the Jets seem to remain the favorite to land Beckham’s services for 2023.

Here are a few other rumors pertaining to Gang Green:

There’s an understanding around league circles that the Packers will eventually trade star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to New York. That understanding has, as of yet, failed to materialize, and according to Cimini, it has Jets owner Woody Johnson “anxious.” Johnson claimed to be anxious but optimistic as the team awaits the resolution to the problem of compensation. As the two sides continue to work towards equal compensation, the Jets aren’t getting impatient, asserting that there’s no deadline on when they’d like a deal to be done.
As the Jets entertain more potential additions to their roster, they have their salary cap to keep in mind. A question that has arisen in regard to that issue is whether or not New York will release defensive end Carl Lawson. The Jets have only been able to get one strong season out of Lawson since signing him in 2021. A ruptured Achilles tendon kept him from playing during his first season in New York before he was able to debut for the team this year. Now, after only one season of play, Lawson is set to take up the second-largest chunk of the Jets’ cap space. There is a potential out built into Lawson’s contract that would allow the Jets to cut Lawson with only $333,334 in dead money, saving $15.4MM in cap space. Head coach Robert Saleh reportedly turned down that possibility, according to Andy Vasquez of the Star-Ledger, claiming not to speak for general manager Joe Douglas, but asserting that “as long as (Lawson) can walk and play” he’ll be a Jet.
Saleh also spoke to the offensive line, according to Vasquez. While changes on the offensive line may be imminent with the addition of multiple offensive linemen in free agency, the head coach made sure to confirm the plan for Alijah Vera-Tucker to return to the right guard position in 2023. Also concerning the offensive line, Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com provided an update on offensive tackle Mekhi Becton, who reportedly is lighter than his NFL Combine weight after changing training facilities.
Another comment from Saleh concerned free agent running back Ezekiel Elliott, according to Vasquez. When asked about the possibility of bringing in the former Cowboy, Saleh told the media, “We love our running back room. I’ll leave it at that.” The Jets enter 2023 with a strong 1-2 punch of Breece Hall, whose rookie season was cut short due to injury, and Michael Carter.

Multiple Day 2 Picks Viewed As Enough To Finalize Aaron Rodgers Trade?

March 30th, 2023 at 10:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

These Jets-Packers talks dragging into April should not exactly surprise. Since Aaron Rodgers‘ 2021 trade request became public, lengthy sagas featuring drawn-out announcements have become standard for the future Hall of Famer. After Rodgers’ latest delay, he is not believed to be the holdup here.

Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday a first-round pick does not need to be part of this trade, though it was believed the veteran Green Bay GM was targeting New York’s No. 13 overall at earlier points during these negotiations. While Gutekunst’s comment about trade compensation could be viewed as a signal that pick is off the table, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes it still could take multiple high picks for the Jets to complete this deal.

The view around the league points to the Packers targeting two high picks — one potentially the second-rounder the Jets obtained in the Elijah Moore trade (No. 43 overall) — with the second being a conditional choice that hinges on Rodgers’ performance and decision on the 2024 season. As could be expected, Rodgers’ 2024 status is a major issue for the Jets, Fowler adds. Rodgers said back in the late 2010s he wanted to play into his 40s but has since walked that back a bit, leading to this offseason’s extended, darkness-enhanced retirement deliberation. Rodgers, 39, said he was 90% retired when he began the darkness retreat earlier this month.

The Jets have expressed concerns to the Packers about overpaying for a player who plans to play only one more year. While that would not seem to matter much to the Pack anymore, the Jets’ worries about Rodgers being a one-and-done for them — as Brett Favre was 15 years ago — are worth monitoring. It would seem unlikely Rodgers will provide an early guarantee he will play in 2024, but the trade value the Pack extract from the Jets will be telling as to the AFC team’s belief in how much longer the four-time MVP plans to play.

Most of this deal is completed, per Fowler, due to the legwork the teams did in recent weeks. Neither team is believed to be in a rush here, with on-field football work not beginning until May — and that is if Rodgers shows for OTAs, which he has not done since 2019 — but Albert Breer of SI.com notes a deal crossing the goal line this week is not out of the question. The Packers backing off their first-round pick pursuit would stand to expedite an agreement, and Breer adds the trade will be completed before the draft.

Every exec surveyed at this week’s league meetings expects the trade to happen, and Jets GM Joe Douglas refusing to use a potential Lamar Jackson pursuit as leverage is somewhat indicative he believes this deal is close. Then again, no team has made it known it will pursue Jackson. But two teams’ quarterback situations are on track to be solidified soon, with Rodgers supplanting Zach Wilson and Love following the Rodgers path by taking over as QB1 ahead of his fourth season.

The Jets were interested in re-signing Mike White, but he is now with the Dolphins. A setup in which Rodgers and another notable veteran joined Wilson in the Jets’ quarterback room seemed like wishful thinking, and Robert Saleh confirmed this week Wilson — his stock’s freefall notwithstanding — is set to be the Jets’ second-stringer. The former No. 2 overall pick spent last season in all three positions on the Jets’ depth chart; he will land in the middle once the Rodgers dust settles. Chris Streveler is the only other QB on the Jets’ roster.

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