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Another day, another Aaron Rodgers story. The quarterback, who is still a member of the Green Bay Packers, has been the top story of the NFL offseason.
It’s been a wild offseason for the four-time MVP. After deciding to return to the Packers last offseason, the team fell well short of legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, missing the playoffs altogether.
Since then, the Cal alum went on a darkness retreat and decided that he wanted to join the New York Jets. There’s one small problem, however. The Jets still have to acquire Aaron Rodgers, who is still under contract with Green Bay.
And, since Rodgers’ announcement that he was going to play for the Jets two weeks ago, the two teams have been far apart on compensation for the quarterback, with the Packers wanting at least one first-round selection for him, and the Jets, who realize that the Packers have very little leverage in the situation, seemingly willing to wait it out.
Late on Monday evening, more details were revealed regarding negotiations over Aaron Rodgers between the two teams, and they seem to be progressing.
Here are some details, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports via Charles Robinson.
As the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets continue to chip away at trade negotiations for veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, a key holdup has emerged: protection for draft pick compensation in the event that Rodgers doesn’t play in the 2024 NFL season.
The trade is currently orbiting a deal that would swap Rodgers for two high draft picks, according to multiple sources who spoke with Yahoo Sports. The sources characterized a deal as getting “closer” despite stiff negotiation over how those picks would stack up and whether the package would include “give back” protection for the Jets if Rodgers does not play beyond the 2023 season.
As it stands, talks are focused on the Jets dealing two picks for the Packers quarterback — one second-round pick in next month’s NFL Draft, and another second-rounder in 2024 that could graduate to a first-round pick with “achievable” team performance escalators. An example of such an escalator would be if the Jets were to host a home divisional playoff game or advance to the AFC championship game. A sticking point in the talks is the Jets seeking an element of protection built into the trade, specifically one that sends some 2025 draft compensation to New York from Green Bay if Rodgers does not play in 2024 and beyond.
It boils down to the Packers wanting “straight shot” draft picks without qualifiers, while the Jets want such high level of compensation to be based on 2023 team performance and Rodgers also playing for New York in 2024.
So, it seems like the teams are making some progress, but there are definitely some things they need to work out. I think the key is whether the Packers will still receive picks even if Rodgers retires after the next season in the 2024 draft. I can see the Jets not wanting to take the risk, given the volatile nature of Aaron Rodgers.