Aaron Rodgers has publicly stated that his intention is to play for the New York Jets in 2023. All that is left is for the Green Bay Packers and Jets to come to an agreement on a trade. This is a process that is seemingly taking far too long. Both fan bases are impatient and constantly debate what Rodgers is worth in a trade. Presumably, the Packers and Jets are debating the same thing. In fact, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported today on Sports Center that these talks have been going on a lot longer than we thought.
The Green Bay Packers and New York Jets Have Talked an Aaron Rodgers Trade Since Before the Super Bowl
While on "SportsCenter," Fowler said the following:
“The Jets and the Packers are trying to find a compromise. Talking to teams, they believe the Packers might just be holding out, trying to get a little more draft compensation in a potential trade. But a lot of the legwork has been done. The Jets and Packers have been talking for weeks, even dating back to before the Super Bowl. Rodgers was talking to free agents last week about playing for the Jets.
“So, everything appears to be in motion for the most part, they just have to find a sweet spot. The Packers, they have this $58 million option bonus for Rodgers that does not have to be exercised until Week 1, so they can essentially hang on to that if they want.
“Meanwhile, I’m hearing the Jets are confident they can remain a little patient here and this will all sort out. There’s not another team involved that I’ve found, and so it’s just a bit of a stare-off.”
And so we will have to keep waiting. The fact of the matter is that both teams are highly motivated to get a trade done. The Jets have no viable Plan B and their fanbase now knows that they are attempting to acquire Rodgers. Failure to do so could cost general manager Joe Douglas his job. On the other hand, the Packers have passed the keys of the offense onto Jordan Love.
What is taking so long?
Presumably, the three main sticking points are:
- The immense Aaron Rodgers contract
- Uncertainty of how long Rodgers intends to play
- Aaron Rodgers age
I suppose if fans want any kind of comfort, it can be that it’s not really “if” a trade will happen, it’s “when.”
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