The trade discussions for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers have officially begun.
The New York Jets weren’t scheduled to play on Super Bowl Sunday, but that didn’t mean they planned on taking the day off. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on February 12 that the Jets made initial overtures to the Packers about a deal for the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player.
“The New York #Jets have inquired about Aaron Rodgers’ availability with the Green Bay #Packers, per sources,” Fowler tweeted. “A move that was expected as New York explores veteran options.”
Aaron Rodgers’ Trade Value Likely to Remain Moving Target
GettyQuarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers rolls out to pass during a game against the New York Jets at Lambeau Field on October 16, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Fowler did not specify whether the Jets talked details or made any kind of offer to the Packers, though trade proposals shipping Rodgers to New York and elsewhere have covered a range of compensation illustrating that the quarterback’s trade value is something of a moving target.
Several factors are in play that make Rodgers’ precise value hard to gauge. First, he’s talked openly about retirement across multiple offseasons and there is no guarantee any team that trades for him will get the Rodgers experience for longer than one season. Wherever it’s played, that one season will be incredibly costly, as Rodgers still has two years left on the most lucrative annual contract in NFL history.
Beyond his price tag and the uncertainty he brings, Rodgers’ play also dipped significantly in 2022 following back-to-back MVP seasons. However, exactly how much of the blame for that belongs with the quarterback and how much should fall on the organization for its roster building failures, particularly at wide receiver, is difficult to say. And even despite the drop off in performance, the rarity of Rodgers’ remaining abilities became an even more valuable commodity on the open market after Tom Brady removed his name from the NFL’s QB carousel by announcing his retirement.
In Bleacher Report’s most recent foray into the hypothetical world of Rodgers trades, Alex Ballentine suggested that in exchange for the QB the Jets send Green Bay a 2023 second-round pick (No. 44), a 2023 fourth-round pick (No. 113) and a 2025 conditional second-round selection that becomes a first-round pick if Rodgers plays the final year of his contract in 2024
[The Jets] are still a quarterback away from being dangerous, with 2021 first-rounder Zach Wilson getting benched twice this past season. With Nathaniel Hackett joining the team as the offensive coordinator, Aaron Rodgers could be that signal-caller.
This deal gives the Packers the ability to move on from the Rodgers era and offers some protection for the Jets if the four-time MVP decides to call it quits in 2024.
Jordan Love Era in Green Bay Could Begin Within The Next Month
GettyQuarterback Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers warms up prior to a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 4, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The first domino that must fall in any potential Rodgers deal is the quarterback deciding that he wants to continue playing in 2023.
Packers President Mark Murphy spoke to a tentative timeline for that decision, saying the organization is pushing for a choice from Rodgers by sometime in early March, per Dianna Russini of ESPN. The NFL’s free agency period begins on March 15.
A report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter on January 29 indicated that the Packers would prefer to move on from Rodgers and begin a new era with backup quarterback Jordan Love starting under center. If that is, in fact, the case, then a decision from Rodgers to return within the next month could get the ball rolling on trade talks that would likely move quickly.
Two other teams rumored to have interest in Rodgers are the Las Vegas Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers.
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NFL Rival Approaches Packers About Aaron Rodgers Trade: Report