The Jets have publicly committed to finding a veteran quarterback to slot in ahead of Zach Wilson next year. A few names have been connected to New York, but none more than Aaron Rodgers. What will the price tag be, though? Whatever you do, don’t ask a Packers fan that question because most of the hypothetical trades are probably ridiculously unrealistic.
Based on how things are playing out, Gang Green needs to be involved in multiple conversations in their pursuit of a quarterback. It sounds like Jets general manager Joe Douglas is prepared to go “all out” to bring Rodgers to MetLife Stadium. Even after a down year and a huge annual salary, the price tag for Rodgers could still be pretty steep.
NBC Sports’ Peter King recently said that it could be a couple of first-round picks. He also said it wouldn’t be surprising if team owner Woody Johnson would “happily” pay that price to acquire the four-time MVP.
You’d imagine that’d be plenty for Green Bay to unload Rodgers and hand the ceremonial quarterback reigns to Jordan Love. But not so much for some Packers fans. There are people on the bird app making hypothetical trades including two of New York’s best defensive players:
Hate to break it to Packer fans, but you're not getting Quinnen Williams or Sauce Gardner in any Aaron Rodgers package as I've seen on here numerous times, Destroying the foundations of what made the Jets a good team, defeats the entire point in getting a rental QB.
— David Wyatt-Hupton (@DWyattHupton) February 5, 2023
I saw the above tweet on Sunday morning and I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. So, naturally, I had to look around to see if this was actually true. Spoiler alert: it is.
Well, as a Packers fan, I hope “go all out” means Quinnen Williams, Sauce Gardner, and two 1sts to the Packers for Rodgers and a 4th. Hey, Sauce likes wearing cheeseheads.
— Kenneth Prochnau (@kkprochnau) February 5, 2023
No I understood that. That’s why I said you wanted a jet sided trade. Rodgers is worth one of those players you mentioned or a combination of picks.
— JC (@jaycas85) February 5, 2023
?Aaron Rodgers to the Jets potential trade proposal?
Jets get:
-Aaron RodgersPackers get:
-Sauce Gardner
-Quinnen Williams
-2023 & 2024 1st round picksJets get their franchise guy and the Packers beef up the defense, a solid trade for both sides. pic.twitter.com/d86K6DhYI9
— Freeze (@freezesports1) January 24, 2023
Granted, these opinions and hypothetical trades appear to be coming from a small minority of Packers fans. But still, I have to take a page out of WFAN legend Joe Benigno’s book and say… come on, bro.
Every fan overvalues players (or prospects) on their favorite team. However, the fact that some people think Rodgers would be worth not one, but two All-Pros and two first-round picks is just laughable. The Jets would never include either of these guys in any trade right now. Let alone both of them!
Then again, these hypotheticals may be for nothing. As the rumor mill churns, people are starting to say Rodgers is destined to play for the Las Vegas Raiders. That’d reunite him with former teammate, Davante Adams. We know the pass-catcher would be psyched about that.
What happens next is anyone’s guess at this point. All we really know for sure is Rodgers probably isn’t going to play for the San Francisco 49ers. Oh, and neither Gardner nor Williams will be going anywhere this offseason.
Matt Musico can be reached at matt.musico@xlmedia.com and you can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.