The Jets are optimistic that they are close to landing Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported Thursday morning.
The New York team reportedly flew out to California to meet with Rodgers on Tuesday as the football landscape braces for one of the biggest moves of the offseason. Rodgers and Green Bay, who have flirted with the idea of breaking up for multiple seasons, have seemingly hit a fork in the road as the signal-caller mulls staying, retiring or leaving the only team he’s ever known to play elsewhere.
Rodgers and Jets personnel, including team owner Woody Johnson, reportedly had “extensive in-person” meetings in California. Per Russini, Johnson, who felt it was important to meet in person, “left the meeting excited and satisfied about the potential match.” Green Bay and New York continue compensation and contract negotiations—conversations that had already begun before the meeting.
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The four-time MVP and Jets have been linked since the January hiring of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett—Rodgers’s former OC from 2019 to ’21. The rumors only escalated this week after Trey Wingo reported the quarterback spoke with New York on Monday, with Green Bay giving the Jets permission the following day to meet with Rodgers face-to-face.
Jets stars Sauce Gardner, Breece Hall, Quinnen Williams and Justin Hardee Sr. have all taken their shot at recruiting the 18-year veteran to the AFC East team. Rodgers, drafted No. 24 in the 2005 draft by the Packers, has remained cryptic about his intentions of staying with the team, leaving for another or retiring altogether. After his darkness retreat—meant to give him clarity on the future—he said on March 1 he intended to make his decision “sooner rather than later.”
