While we still await the official announcement of an Aaron Rodgers to New York trade, let’s take a look at his potential new team’s track record on quarterbacks and how they got to the point of wanting to add a quarterback who will turn forty this year.
The Jets’ real problem is their inability to develop a franchise quarterback. From Mark Sanchez to Zach Wilson, the team has not had a true franchise QB since… Joe Namath? Namath still owns the record for the most starts for the franchise. The Jets have drafted 12 QBs in just sixteen seasons in addition to acquiring past their prime QBs Joe Flacco and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
New York used their number two overall pick in the 2021 draft on Wilson just to abandon him after a couple of rough (very rough) seasons. This was after abandoning Sam Darnold and trading him to the Panthers. Before that, the team traded up in the 2009 draft to grab Sanchez with the fifth overall pick just to replace him with Greg McElroy and eventually release him after four seasons.
The Jets might get one year out of Rodgers while giving away valuable draft picks. The move seems short-sighted with anything less than a Super Bowl being considered a loss. The Jets are in a tough division with Miami and Buffalo being playoff contenders. Rodgers has been a wizard in the regular season, but in the playoffs, he’s come back down to the earth the last few seasons. The Jets would still have to get past Kansas City and Cincinnati to represent the AFC.
Bringing in Rodgers seems ill-advised. If they’re willing to part with any top draft picks they could just go after Ravens QB Lamar Jackson to be their franchise QB for the next five, or six years. Jackson is ready to find a new home after posting on his Twitter page that he asked Baltimore for a trade at the beginning of this month. Instead of trying to find a trade partner, the team placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him.
The Packers aren’t without blame for the Rodgers fiasco. The Packers’ front office and Rodgers have always had a strained relationship. For many years it seemed like the team was averse to drafting a weapon for Rodgers especially after losing Davante Adams. While Rodgers didn’t make the situation any better and chose not to show up to offseason activities. He claimed he wouldn’t hold the team hostage while deciding his future. The team showed no true interest in bringing Rodgers back this offseason both publicly and privately. Both sides blamed each other for a lack of communication and like most toxic relationships we’re just happy to see this one end.
Deja vu
What’s going on in Green Bay is not something they or their fan base are unfamiliar with. It’s almost identical to how another Hall of Fame QB chose to leave the team. It’s eerily similar because both QBs’ final passes as a Packer was an interception.
When Rodgers was drafted he spent three years behind Brett Favre just like Jordan Love has spent three years as QB number two. Favre had one great game personally, but the team did not win with him under center. Instead, New York finished the season losing four of their final five games including losing to the Dolphins and Chad Pennington, the QB they released to make space for Favre. So it is never a guarantee that a team will win by adding an elite quarterback.
Green Bay has no urgency to make the trade. They already have their next QB on their roster giving them leverage in the situation. New York has gone all in on Rodgers being their starting quarterback with no other options. The Jets have even gone out and signed one of Rodgers’ favorite targets Allen Lazard as a sign of good faith.
It seems likely the deal will get done before next month’s draft because it’s fair to assume one, if not more, of the Jets’ top picks will be sent in exchange for Rodgers. Both sides don’t seem to be panicking publicly, but no doubt New York has to be at least a little bit concerned. There’s always a chance Rodgers just decides to walk away and not play another snap. He did say on the Pat McAfee Show that before going into the “darkness” he was ninety percent sure he wanted to retire.
