The New York Jets want to trade for Aaron Rodgers at the same price as they paid for Brett Favre
Adam Schefter may not have a clue about Aaron Rodgers personally, but he does still have sources within the two teams involved in a possible trade.
On ESPN’s Get Up show, Schefter reported that the New York Jets are seeking a price similar to what they gave up in the Brett Favre trade 15 years ago. At that time, the price was a conditional fourth-round pick.
The conditions on that pick turned it into a third-rounder if Favre played 50% of the snaps, a second-rounder if he played 70% and the Jets made the playoffs, and a first-rounder if he played 80% and the Jets made the Super Bowl. It ended up becoming just a third-rounder.
Naturally, the Packers are balking at that price.
Interesting @AdamSchefter says #Jets are trying to acquire Aaron Rodgers via trade for Brett Favre price which was a conditional 4th 15 years ago + #Packers waiting for more + described them as ‘far apart’ currently in trade negotiations but it can change quickly: 🎥 @GetUpESPN pic.twitter.com/mkzuh9QMEf
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) March 16, 2023
It makes sense that the Jets would want this level of compensation for a few reasons. Rodgers is in a very similar place in his career as Favre was: an aging QB who had debated whether he was going to retire.
In fact, Favre had arguably played better in the season prior to his trade than Rodgers did last year. Favre ranked fourth among QBs in passing yards (4,155) and tied for sixth in TDs (28) in 2007 while making it to the NFC Championship.
Furthermore, Rodgers has a difficult contract that would include paying him $58.3 million upfront prior to Week 1 of the season. If the Packers will not pick up any of that tab, there is only so much compensation they will receive for Rodgers. We saw this in the Jalen Ramsey and Darren Waller trades, which returned only third-round picks due to large contracts.
Additionally, with Rodgers’s declaration that he wants to play for the Jets, the Packers do not really have any leverage. They can claim that they will wait until after the draft to trade him (as Pro Football Talk reported, making them the Packers’ mouthpiece), but that would be cutting off their nose to spite their face, both in terms of Rodgers’s cap hit ($31.6 million) and his presence undermining their ability to move forward.
Ultimately, it is likely that the compensation will be a bit more than just that conditional pick, but it makes sense for the Jets to try to keep the compensation low.
According to Trey Wingo, the deal could take a few more days, but it’s 99% done. Time will tell who is right, although Wingo has been more accurate about every step of the Rodgers process than Schefter thus far.
I like the facts. Keep them coming !!! Don’t Green Bay have other team needs that need to be addressed other than the QB situation? Free agency is getting thinner everyday and Green Bay needs to free up that money they have put aside for Rodgers in order to fill those other team needs. Leverage to the Jets !!!
I hope the Jets hold firm but also have a plan B and a deadline.
Very succinct and accurate article which makes alot of sense. Jets need to assume they are getting Rodgers and make the other moves needed.
Even if AVT and Bechton come back 100% they need to spend two early picks on the line.
The longer this drags on, the more I feel it is benefitting the Jets. Rodgers has a knack of pushing buttons while acting above the fray. Every time he pushes a button Green Bay’s leverage takes a little hit; the situation gets a little more untenable, and the only thing that Green Bay can possibly do to “Please, just make it stop!” is agree with the Jets on something.
Without Rodgers Green Bay gains quite a bit of financial solvency. Whatever the Jets give them is gravy, and since there is no chance Rodgers plays for Green Bay, ultimately they have no choice but to get the contract off the books.
Another great article Rivka. You have been on a roll of late with really wonderful well thought out articles that touch on highly relevant topics. I am not sure how you did it but there is no other Jets writer putting out even close to the quality or quantity of content you are producing.
That being said I agree with Robert below. JD needs to hold firm. He has in the past. Which means this could be quite a long process. As Jet fans we may have to develop patience. Something we are not known for.
The Jets should not cave in to the Packer demands. Peroid.