Another Aaron Rodgers' off-season saga has begun with uncertainty over his Green Bay Packers future, which has been fuelled by reports that a trade is a "real possibility", and it appears the Packers have set their price for the four-time MVP. Rodgers endured a difficult season with the Packers, missing out on the playoffs and failing to produce the kind of form that made him a transcendent player in the league.
The 39-year-old has two years remaining on his big-money deal at Lambeau Field, but last week the future hall-of-fame quarterback did little to shut down speculation that his time with the Packers is coming to an end, telling The Pat McAfee Show he was "not mentally or emotionally" ready to give the team an answ er on his future.
NFL insider Adam Schefter broke the news at the weekend that a trade could be on the cards, on the proviso that the Packers are unlikely to consider a deal with another NFC team.
NBC Sports' Peter King followed that up in his Football Morning In America column with details of the asking price the Packers would be looking for to part ways with one of the greatest QBs of all time, touting the New York Jets as a team that would be willing to do business.
He wrote: "As for the compensation due Green Bay, my guess is the Pack would want at least two first-round picks. The Woody Johnson Jets, desperate for a star QB almost since the Broadway Joe days, would happily pay that freight, I’d guess. But would Rodgers accept a deal to the Jets? We shall see."
Midway through the season, Robert Saleh's Jets were firmly in playoff contention, but poor quarterback play caught up with them and they finished 7-10, missing out on a post-season berth for the 12th straight season.
Despite assurances from the team that he will remain on the roster for next year, former number-two overall pick Zach Wilson looks like a bust. The rest of the roster, however, is well-built to contend with stars on both sides of the ball and Rodgers – even in his 19th NFL season – would represent an elite plug-in-and-play option who would immediately put the Jets in the Super Bowl conversation.
However, there would be several matters for owner Woody Johnson and general manager Joe Douglas to consider, particularly Rodgers' age and spending two first-round picks on a player on the verge of turning 40 would equate to a huge gamble.
There is also the consideration that Rodgers' could be waning as a force in the league. There were flashes of his trademark brilliance sprinkled throughout the season, but for the most part, he was well short of the MVP calibre player he has been for the majority of his career.
There are red flags over his commitment, too, given Rodgers' admissions that his future looks murky, coupled with the fact he has made it known he is not a 365-days-a-year player, taking time away from the game in the off-season while other quarterbacks spend extra time getting reps in with their receivers.
There is no doubt Rodgers is a significant upgrade on Wilson, Mike White and Joe Flacco, and the expectation that he could make an immediate impact on a stacked roster is sure to be appealing, but at the asking price, it would be a big gamble.
