Insider refutes claims about Aaron Rodgers asking price

Perhaps the New York Jets and Green Bay Packers coming to an agreement on a trade price for star quarterback Aaron Rodgers won't be as simple as first thought. 

"The Packers are looking for a one and then something else if he plays longer," former NFL executive and current league insider Michael Lombardi said during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," as shared by Andrew McCarty of 'The Spun.' "What that means is well, 'we want your one, but if he plays two years we want a three or we want a two - we want a conditional pick to go along with what we have.'"

Lombardi's comments come on the heels of notable comments from NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, who said the Packers aren't asking for "an offer that we can’t refuse," and 'Sports Ilustrated''s Albert Breer, who believes that Green Bay will only want "this year’s second-rounder (43rd) and a conditional 2025 pick that’ll ride on how well Rodgers plays, and whether he plays in '24" from the Jets for the enigmatic 39-year-old. 

"I don’t think the Jets will have to give up this year’s first-round pick," Breer added on Wednesday. 

It's known that Jets owner Woody Johnson, general manager Joe Douglas, head coach Robert Saleh, and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett were all part of a Jets "contingent" which flew to California to meet with Rodgers in person earlier this week. That contingent flew back without the future Hall of Famer on the plan.

If it's true that Rodgers is currently facing a "Packers, Jets or bust" situation ahead of the start of the new league year next Wednesday, it's understandable Gang Green would play some hardball regarding a possible trade.

Then again, dragging their feet cost the Jets an opportunity to sign Derek Carr before he joined the New Orleans Saints. New York may not have a true plan B in mind as it pertains to the sport's most important position.