Getty QB Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers reacts after a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams at Lambeau Field on December 19, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
There aren’t a host suitable trade partners for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but there is at least one that makes complete sense for all parties involved.
The 2022 campaign was a tale of two seasons for the New York Jets. The team began the year 7-4 before losing its final six contests, plagued by a sputtering offense fueled by the flimsy arms of quarterbacks Zach Wilson, Mike White and Joe Flacco. And while the Jets can’t seem to find a reliable signal caller to pair with their stable of skill talent opposite an elite defense, the Packers have one too many cooks in the QB kitchen.
A deal between Green Bay and New York with Rodgers at the center simply makes too much sense to ignore, which was the premise for a trade proposal authored by Danny Heifetz of The Ringer on Thursday, January 12. As part of his pitch, Heifetz suggested the Packers swap Rodgers for the Jets’ first- and second-round picks in 2023, which slot in at No. 13 and No. 44 overall.
While he just signed a contract extension with the Packers last offseason, the timing might be best for everyone involved — Rodgers, Jordan Love, and Green Bay — if Rodgers moves on this offseason. A survey of the NFL landscape reveals that perhaps the best trade partner on the market would be the New York Jets.
New York would provide a fresh start for Rodgers in the final chapter of his Hall of Fame career, solve the Jets’ massive quarterback problem, and give the Packers a chance to begin the Jordan Love era.
Early Odds Say Rodgers Most Likely to Land With Jets in Trade
GettyQB Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers reacts during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on December 25, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
Heifetz isn’t the only one who thinks that New York makes more sense as a trade partner for Rodgers than anywhere else.
Fox Bet Live released initial and non-actionable odds on Wednesday ballparking the chances that Rodgers retires or returns, and where he plays if his decision is the latter. According to Fox’s oddsmakers, Rodgers is far more likely to play in 2023 (-200) than he is to retire (+160). The most relevant number in that equation is the more than $59 million he’s owed for next season, a huge sum that the Jets would have to be willing to absorb, though probably with a decent amount of help from the Packers on the front end.
Green Bay remained the most likely place for Rodgers to play next year if he does return, with the odds set at -150. The Jets were second, however, with odds listed at +300. The San Francisco 49ers also made the list at as the QB’s fourth-most likely destination, with odds set at +550 that Rodgers plays his 19th NFL season in the Bay Area.
Packers Probably Forced to Trade Either Rodgers, Love in 2023
GettyQB Aaron Rodgers (left), backup QB Jordan Love (center) and head coach Matt LaFleur (right) of the Green Bay Packers look on during a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 4, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Another catalyst for trading Rodgers is backup quarterback Jordan Love, who will enter his fourth season in 2023.
Like Rodgers did at the beginning of his career, Love has sat the bench for three full years with minimal opportunities to play in meaningful games. The 24-year-old did, however, show out late in the season against the Philadelphia Eagles when Rodgers went down in the second half with a rib injury.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has indicated that the team intends to pick up Love’s fifth-year option, which would cost approximately $20 million and keep the quarterback in green and gold through at least the next two seasons.
However, reports have begun to circulate that Love is likely to ask out of his situation in Green Bay should Rodgers decide to return for another year. With both players under contract, the Packers aren’t technically obligated to oblige either one in a trade request/demand. That said, quarterbacks wield more power than any other position in the NFL and strained locker room situations don’t often make for positive on-field results.
Green Bay drafted Love late in the first round in 2020 as Rodgers’ heir apparent. If the team intends to stick with that plan, it feels like now is the time.