LOS ANGELES, CA — Finally after weeks of talks and speculation, Super Bowl champion and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers has officially been traded to the New York Jets according to ESPN. The Jets receive Rodgers, pick No. 15, and a 2023 5th-round pick (No. 170). The Green Bay Packers receive the No. 13, a 2023 2nd-round pick (No. 42), a 6th-round pick (No. 207), a conditional 2024 2nd-round pick that becomes a 1st round pick if Rodgers plays 65 percent of the offense.
Several weeks ago the four-time NFL MVP appeared on “The Pat Macafee Show” to shed some light on his much anticipated decision about his future.
“Since Friday I made it clear that my intention was to play and my intention is to play for the New York Jets,” Rodgers told Macafee from a Southern California location. “I haven’t been holding anything up. It’s the compensation that the [Green Bay] Packers are trying to get. … The Packers want to move on and have let me know that in so many words,” he said.
Rodgers understood it was time for a change and he knew that change was coming sooner than later. He said that his decision to depart from Green Bay and the Packers organization is bittersweet.
“I f***ing love that city. I love that organization and always going to have love for that organization. The facts are right now they want to move on, and now so do I. I got to be the starting quarterback of the Packers for 15 years. … So, I love you, Green Bay. Thank you. I’m as sad as some of you are, but we’ll meet again.“
Despite some other teams reaching out to Rodgers, he firmly believed that the New York Jets just made more sense for the future of his career.
“There’s one coach who has meant as much to me as any coach I’ve ever had,” Rodgers said about recently Jets hired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who was also the Packers’ coordinator from 2019 to 2021.
As the deal continues to be worked out between the two teams, Rodgers is set to make $59.465 million guaranteed in salary and bonus this season. Most of it is made up of a $58.3 million bonus that is due no later than Week 1 of the 2023 season. However according to ESPN, his bonus money is prorated, and his money would count $15.8 million against the Jets’ salary cap in 2023 and $32.5 million in 2024. In other words, this contract won’t financially strap the Jets moving forward.
Rodgers also spoke with Macafee about the rumored player wish list to the Jets.
“Did they ask me about certain guys that I’ve played with over the years? Of course. Did I talk glowingly about teammates that I love? Yeah. Why wouldn’t you?,” Rodgers asked.
The wish list reportedly included wide receiver Allen Lazard who recently signed a four-year, $44 million earlier this week. The list also included a couple of his longtime favorite targets in Green Bay such as receiver Randall Cobb and veteran tight end Mercedes Lewis. Former Rams Super Bowl champion wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is on his list as well.
To the Jets credit they have are continuing to do everything in their power to fulfill the wish list of Rodgers. The asking price for Beckham could determine if the star receiver wears green this season in the Big Apple or not.
Outside of the deal getting done for Rodgers and winning games next season, he wants clear and concise communication with the organization and thus far, the Jets have elocuted everything to him and his representation.
