New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh addressed questions on Aaron Rodgers and Odell Beckham Jr. at the NFL’s annual meeting as his roster takes shape for the 2023 season.
On the Pat McAfee Show earlier his month, Rodgers publicly announced his ‘intention’ to play for New York - but no deal has yet been struck between the Jets and the Packers. As the team continue to negotiate with the Packers, the Jets have added former Green Bay wideout Allen Lazard and ex Kansas City Chiefs star Mecole Hardman in free agency to join Garrett Wilson and Corey Davis in their receiver room.
Saleh was quizzed if there had been any movement on the Rodgers trade, and the 44-year-old simply suggested he trusts Jets general manager Joe Douglas to get the deal over the line while he and the staff are focusing on ‘the guys in the building’ already. When asked on any update, Saleh said: “I got nothing on that one. He’s still with another team, so I’m just not going to talk about it.”
After another reporter asked if any doubt was beginning to creep into his mind over whether the highly-anticipated trade for Rodgers will go through, Saleh added: “I’m a positive thinker, so I’m sure eventually they’ll figure something out.”
The Jets have also been linked with moves for Ezekiel Elliott and Beckham Jr - but Saleh praised his offensive makeup and the moves the franchise have made to boost the unit this offseason. Speaking to SNY, Saleh said: “Adding Lazard along with Corey adds so much size for us, getting Mecole Hardman who is an absolute animal with the ball in his hands and then Garrett Wilson coming back off his rookie year, I’m hoping for Mims to take a jump…
"We’re working on our offensive line but when you look at the skill guys, its an exciting group. We’ve got to get to work - we have a lot of work to do - but we’re really excited about the group we have.”
Jets fans would certainly be more excited about the team’s burgeoning offence is Beckham Jr. was added to the fray. The 30-year-old tore his ACL as the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI and hasn’t played in nearly 14 months, but Saleh suggested that while a move is not a certainty, he is certainly interested in Beckham.
“ACL nowadays are easily fixable, but he’s been a fantastic receiver in this league,” Saleh told reporters at the meeting. “Everything you hear about him, he's a phenomenal person. Theres no guarantee anything will happen, but we’re always going to study every player on the market to make sure we’re not missing out on an opportunity to add a good player.”
After he was released by the Dallas Cowboys earlier this month, Elliott has reportedly decided to play for either the Jets, Cincinnati Bengals or Philadelphia Eagles - and he is reportedly set to make a decision over his future by the end of this week. The Jets would be an intriguing option given the seemingly imminent arrival of Rodgers, with a number of stars now linked with the green half of New York including Elliott and Beckham.
However, the Jets have a strong running back room in Hall and Carter, with the 2022 second round pick excelling before tearing his ACL. Saleh appeared to downplay rumours linking the franchise with a move for free agent three-time Pro Bowler Ezekiel Elliott as he made a point to praise each and every running back on the roster.
“I’m really excited about our offence,” Saleh told SNY. “Breece looks fantastic. I know Michael Carter is going to come back better than how he was as a rookie. Bam Knight is going to be fantastic, and Ty Johnson - I have a genuine appreciation for him.”
