Seemingly seeking their next franchise quarterback since Joe Namath’s heyday, the New York Jets may have finally found a fix at least for the short term. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Jets have traded for Aaron Rodgers, bringing the four-time NFL MVP to the Big Apple.
In doing so, the Jets are sending the Green Bay Packers a package including multiple draft picks. Here are the full Rodgers trade details:
- New York Jets trade: 2023 first-round pick (13th overall), 2023 second-round pick (42nd overall), sixth-round pick (207th overall), conditional 2024 second-round pick (becomes a first-round pick if Rodgers plays 65% of snaps)
- Green Bay Packers trade: Aaron Rodgers, 2023 first-round pick (15th overall), 2023 fifth-round pick (170th overall)
This is a blockbuster that will have a large impact on the immediate and long-term futures in both Green Bay and New York. The Jets feel they know where they stand, but the Packers? They have a lot of questions, but at least they also have some draft capital and hope for a brighter future.
Down below, we dive into it all. From what the Rodgers trade means for the Jets’ playoff chances, how Zach Wilson‘s future is impacted, to where the Packers stand now.
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New York Jets become immediate playoff contenders with Rodgers
Just like a year ago when the Denver Broncos traded for Russell Wilson and became immediate Super Bowl contenders in the minds of many, nothing is guaranteed when an elite QB changes teams. Yet, there is more inclined to consider the Broncos’ dumpster fire an exception to the rule, with coach Nathaniel Hackett already being named the scapegoat.
Hackett is now slated to be the playcaller and offensive coordinator for the Jets, where he’ll be reunited with Rodgers.
By the way, Rodgers is a huge fan of Hackett, having put in a strong recommendation for him to be hired as a head coach. Rodgers noted how the coach made work fun while previously stating a desire to follow the coach wherever he went.
- Aaron Rodgers contract: $31.6M cap hit in 2023, $40.7M in 2024, $59.3M in 2025, $53.4 in 2026
Hackett has had a strong working relationship with Rodgers as his offensive coordinator, and expectations are that they’ll quickly pick up where they previously left off in 2021.
If Rodgers was legendary with the Packers, mostly relying on Davante Adams in the later years, what can he do with the Jets’ young, rising cast of receivers? Last season, the Jets had rookie Garrett Wilson go off for 1,100 yards in just 12 starts (17 games), without an elite QB, or anything close, throwing him the ball. What can he do with someone who is a master of ball placement, like Rodgers?
- Aaron Rodgers career stats: 65.3% comp. rate, 59,055 passing yards, 475 TD, 105 INT
- W/L: 147-75-1 (11-10 in playoffs), Super Bowl XLV champion
Complementing the speedster at wideout is another electrifying playmaker in Mecole Hardman. Both of these players can take the top off the defense, plus Allen Lazard (6-foot-5) and Corey Davis’s 6-foot-3 frame should play well in the red zone. This is in addition to Tyler Conklin, who is a respectable tight end in all facets of the game.
Combine all these weapons with Breece Hall bringing defenders in the box trying to limit his ability to break a game open, and suddenly the Jets look like a high-powered offense again — much like we were expecting last season out of Zach Wilson.
The Jets ranked 29th in scoring last season while having the second-fewest passing touchdowns in the NFL. The expectation is that both areas will significantly improve next season with Rodgers stealing the keys to the offense. Defensively, the Jets are already stacked. In turn, this is a playoff team on paper.
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As far as whether Rodgers will be a fit in the locker room? The vibes could be weird for Zach Wilson at first, being that he won’t have a chance at getting into the starting lineup, barring injury.
Yet, it won’t take long for Wilson’s fandom to kick in, as even the former No. 2 overall pick grew up idolizing his newest teammate. That doesn’t seem to be a question, with several current core members of the Jets already welcoming the future Hall of Famer with open arms.
Related: 2023 NFL mock draft: C.J. Stroud slides, Bijan Robinson to NFC East, Raiders land QB
Rodgers’ arrival doesn’t spell the end of days for Zach Wilson
On the surface, the Rodgers trade could be viewed as a death knell for the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. But that may not be the case. What if Rodgers’ arrival turns out to be the best thing to happen to Wilson’s NFL career?
It’s all about how Wilson responds to Rodgers joining the club. While there may be some moments of bitterness, life could get pretty sweet for him soon enough. The 23-year-old QB has gone on record in the past talking about his appreciation for the new leader of the clubhouse.
“I’ve been watching him since I was a little kid. Trying to replicate the way he throws, the way he plays the game. We didn’t have an NFL team in Utah. I wouldn’t say I was a Packers fan. I was just an Aaron Rodgers fan. I grew up watching him. I always liked watching their games because of him and kind of where he was at. He was a quarterback I tried to replicate and steal things from.”
Zach Wilson on idolizing Aaron Rodgers – Oct. 2022
As Wilson said, he’s tried to mold his own game around what Rodgers does so well. Yet, obviously, Wilson has several other finer points of the game to work on, such as footwork, accuracy, consistency, and becoming more mature. Perhaps getting to witness how one of the best quarterbacks of this era operates can help Wilson become a much more polished pro.
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Green Bay Packers enter era of uncertainty with Jordan Love
For the first year since 1991, the Packers will start a season without a Hall of Fame QB under center. While no one knew then what was in store for Brett Favre or Rodgers, you can’t find a team that has enjoyed more quarterback stability over the past 30-plus years than the Packers have.
Now? It’s all on the shoulders of Jordan Love, the 26th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. While he may be set to enter his fourth season, no one knows what to expect from the player who’s only attempted 83 passes in his NFL career. Brock Purdy is more experienced and proven than Love is at this stage of his career, and he was the final pick of last year’s draft.
On the bright side, the Packers finally have a chance to do a slight reset of sorts, using their new collection of draft assets in addition to the cap savings from the Rodgers trade. While their immediate cap savings are unknown, the Packers won’t have a QB with a cap hit of $40 million in 2024 or a whopping $59 million in 2025, as his contract with Green Bay called for.
The Packers now hold the 13th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. That may be the sweet spot for a team not picking a QB this year, with many highly-touted defensive prospects, offensive tackles, and wide receivers expected to be selected in that range.
Draft-wise, it will all depend on how well the Packers do without Rodgers, as well as how the Jets perform with him. This trade has the potential to put Green Bay on a more stable path toward contention, but how long will it take? That’s if the move even pays off at all.
Meanwhile, if the Jets win a Super Bowl with Rodgers under center, the criticism will be endless. But if Matt LaFleur can avoid just his second losing season since taking over as head coach in 2019, the Packers could have something here.
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