A deal to bring Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets is still yet to be formally completed, but general manager Joe Douglas is certain that he will be with the franchise next season.
Rodgers confirmed his intention to play for the Jets weeks ago, with the Green Bay Packers also giving the quarterback the green light to complete the trade. Rodgers has been with the Packers since 2005, but now Jordan Love looks set to lead the franchise after waiting patiently for a starting opportunity.
But Rodgers is still currently a Packers player, with some fans beginning to get nervous as what looked to be an imminent trade has since stalled. However, Douglas has made a bold claim to calm the fears of the Jets supporters.
"He's gonna be here," Douglas said to an excited crowd while participating in a live event. Douglas was a guest at a Boomer & Gio event hosted by Audacy's WFAN Sports Radio, and Rodgers was of course on the agenda.
It appears almost certain that Rodgers will be a Jets player next season, with the two franchises taking their time over the deal as the right trade package is negotiated. The Packers have already moved on to Love, but want to ensure they're compensated correctly for letting a future Hall-of-Famer leave.
The Jets have been interested in Rodgers since the end of the 2022 season, with head coach Robert Saleh admitting they're searching for a 'veteran quarterback' to lead the side and mentor Zach Wilson. Rodgers was the obvious candidate, and they have gone all out for the Packers star ever since.
It looks like they will land their man, and he will join Allen Lazard in New York after the Jets also raided Lambeau Field for the wide receiver. Lazard is excited to continue playing with the four-time MVP, and also isn't concerned about the trade taking longer than initially expected.
"No, there is no worry on my end, especially knowing that Aaron has his full-on commitment to be a New York Jet this year," Lazard said. "Realising that it’s really just kind of on the guys upstairs to kind of handle the business side of things for this whole thing to go down.
"I think a lot of us are obviously eager for it to go through, I know I was especially. But the beauty is that we don’t play a game until September.
"We haven’t even started OTAs yet, so there’s no rush in getting this process done and everything. I know once it goes through and we’re able to get in the classroom together, we’re able to get on the field together, we’re going to start cooking up something special."
