It was two weeks ago that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers made it clear that he wants to be traded to the New York Jets.
At that point, it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that a blockbuster trade would take place in short order. Green Bay is more than prepared to move on from the four-time NFL MVP and go with youngster Jordan Love under center. Fast forward two weeks and a trade has not been completed.
There’s a lot of factors in play here, including Green Bay’s previous asking price of a first-round pick and change for the future first ballot Hall of Famer.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio appeared on Rodgers’ favorite podcast, The Pat McAfee Show, recently. He seemed to break some news on this front. Florio noted that Green Bay has backed off its asking price a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Instead, the focus seems to be turning to one of the Jets’ second-round selections next month and a conditional pick in 2024 that could turn into a first rounder.
Florio also got into details regarding trade negotiations between the Jets and Packers. To say that tension has been involved would be an understatement. “Unreasonable and irrational,” Florio heard from the Jets about trade talks with Green Bay for Aaron Rodgers.
Packers’ general manager Brian Gutekunst did go on record this week indicating that a first-round pick in exchange for Rodgers doesn’t necessarily have to be in the cards.
New York boasts the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and views that as too high of a price to pay for a 39-year-old quarterback who might only play one season in the Gang Green.
Related: 3 Aaron Rodgers trade scenarios to the New York Jets
Where Aaron Rodgers trade talks stand right now
It’s pretty simple. New York and Green Bay are likely going to have to meet in the middle in order for something to happen ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
New York did add an additional second-round pick in the annual event in trading wide receiver Elijah Moore to the Cleveland Browns earlier this month. This means that the team has three selections within the first 43 picks in the draft. It could move either the 42nd or 43rd selection and that aforementioned conditional 2024 pick to get something done.
A recent report from Yahoo! Sports NFL insider Charles Robinson noted that a deal between the two sides seems to be getting closer. However, compensation heading to Green Bay has proven to be a newish roadblock.
“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.”
Report on Aaron Rodgers trade conversations
This fits in with the narrative that common ground could be met with New York offering up one of its second rounders and a conditional 2024 pick.
As for the Packers, they are ready to put an end to the Rodgers’ era. Gutekunst made that clear in talking with the media from league meetings in Arizona this week. It’s now all a waiting game.
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