NEW YORK — Jets general manager Joe Douglas told fans at a radio event last week that Aaron Rodgers is “gonna be here.”
However, fans of the Jets and Packers are still waiting, as there’s still no current update.
On Tuesday, before he left for the Packers’ annual bus tour of Wisconsin, president and CEO Mark Murphy remained silent on if the Packers are waiting on the Jets to accept the team’s trade request.
“I can’t really get into that,” Murphy said. “I know Brian and Joe have been talking.”
“That’s something [Packers general manager] Brian is working on. I’ve been actively involved. There’s really nothing more to say.”
Tuesday was the first time Murphy answered questions from reporters since Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show that he intends to play for the Jets. Since then, there hasn’t been much traction regarding a trade.
Gang Green reportedly spoke to the Packers during the NFL annual meetings, but Douglas said both sides were not where they needed to be.
The NFL draft begins April 27, two weeks from Thursday. So the clock is ticking for both sides to come to an agreement. Up to this point, the Jets and the Packers have yet to put a deadline on getting a deal done.
Green Bay wants more weapons to surround quarterback Jordan Love. The Jets would like to have Rodgers present for their offseason program, which begins April 17.
Both sides have been at a stalemate regarding compensation.
Gutekunst told reporters at the annual meetings that the Packers are not demanding the Jets’ No. 13 overall pick. But the Packers will certainly want one of the Jets’ second-round picks (No. 42 and No. 43) if not more compensation. So, both teams could wait until the second day of the draft (April 28) to agree on a deal.
Then there’s also the fact that the Jets would likely want some protection if Rodgers retires after just one season. Rodgers said he was 90% leaning toward retiring this offseason before his darkness retreat.
However, Rodgers entertained his options once he found out the Packers were actively shopping him following an 8-9 season in which the team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2018. On March 8, Douglas, Jets coach Robert Saleh, Jets owner Woody Johnson and Nathaniel Hackett visited Rodgers at his California home to see if the former four-time MVP was interested in being traded to the team.
In total, the Jets have six draft picks this year (Nos. 13, 42, 43, 112, 143 and 207 overall).
The Packers were in a similar situation in 2008 after Brett Favre unretired, but the team was ready to move on with Rodgers as their starter. After both sides agreed it was time to move on, the Packers traded Favre to the Jets for a conditional fourth-round pick during training camp that year.
Favre played just one year for the Jets as they finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs after beginning that year 8-3. Meanwhile, Rodgers eventually turned into a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Green Bay as he later led the team to a Super Bowl title in 2010.
The Packers selected Love in the first round of the 2020 draft. But he’s sat behind Rodgers for the first three years of his career.
Now they’re hoping Love can continue the same quarterback excellence Favre and Rodgers showed during their time with the Packers.
