The Jets want Aaron Rodgers and they are zeroed in on him. So much so that they aren’t even considering another former MVP quarterback.
Jets general manager Joe Douglas spoke to the media Monday at the owners meetings in Phoenix, Arizona and basically said they are all-in on acquiring Rodgers and shot down any speculation that the Jets would pivot to Lamar Jackson, who announced earlier in the day that he requested a trade from the Ravens at the beginning of the month.
“Obviously, we’re not where we need to be yet, but I feel like we’re in a good place,” Douglas said about the Rodgers discussions, adding he has had “some productive conversations” with Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst.
Douglas also said there is “no hard deadline” on a trade. “There’s not a ton of urgency from our standpoint right now. But still very optimistic,” said Douglas.
Head coach Robert Saleh also said “I’m not hitting the panic button” and that the Jets could presumably wait until training camp to make the deal. Of course, he could be saying that just so the team doesn’t seem desperate and allow Green Bay to feel in more of a position of power. Both teams feel they have the leverage in this deal.
In regards to Jackson, the Jets don’t seem ready to pivot to the Ravens quarterback. “First of all, Lamar Jackson is a fantastic player, but where we stand is, it would be disingenuous and negotiating in bad faith if we went down that path,” said Douglas. “We have our plan, we have our process and we’re sticking to that. We’re never going to operate in bad faith.”
The Jets also confirmed Zach Wilson will be the No. 2 quarterback this season, which was the expected outcome.
The wait continues. Hopefully soon, as Gutekunst noted, this will reach the finish line.
