As the 2022 NFL offseason progresses, the trade talks between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets for quarterback Aaron Rodgers are heating up. The Jets have expressed a strong interest in acquiring Rodgers, who has stated his intention to play for New York this season. However, a deal has not yet been reached that satisfies both parties.
April 17th is an Artificial Deadline
The April 17th start date of Green Bay’s offseason workout program looms large in these negotiations. If Rodgers is still on the Packers’ roster, the CBA dictates that the team cannot keep him away from the team facility once workouts begin. Rodgers could choose to show up and make things awkward if trade talks drag on, applying pressure to secure a deal. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur declined to comment about Rodgers’ potential workout attendance if a trade hasn’t gone through by April 17th.
Sources within NFL circles call this “an artificial deadline,” but it underscores how high the stakes are for both teams. Complicating matters further is that the two sides disagree about who failed in communications and created an impasse.
Jets’ Pursuit of Aaron Rodgers
The New York Jets have been persistent in their pursuit of Aaron Rodgers since he announced his intentions to leave Green Bay on March 15th. The Jets flew to Malibu to meet with Rodgers after receiving permission from the Packers.
Jets owner Woody Johnson praised Rodgers, calling him impressive, smart, and a great athlete, and believes they could pull off a deal to acquire him. However, compensation continues to be a sticking point in negotiations with the Jets reportedly being reluctant about giving up their No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 draft for Rodgers.
The Jets’ defense improved last season, but their offense struggled with four different starting quarterbacks. Johnson is confident that a deal can be done to acquire Rodgers, whom he believes could be the missing piece, as well as veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who had an informal visit with the team during the owner’s meetings.
Details of the Proposed Trade
The proposed framework of the deal consists of the Jets receiving Rodgers and the Packers getting a 2023 second-round pick and a conditional 2024 second-round pick. The Jets want the conditional pick to include team-performance escalators and are pushing for a 2025 draft pick as compensation if Rodgers does not play beyond the 2023 season.
The Packers are trying to make it a standard trade with no protections or conditions. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst stated that a first-round pick is not necessary for the trade, backing off from their initial demands.
Both sides have expressed optimism, but neither is in any hurry to make a deal. Waiting until after June 1st could benefit the Packers from a salary cap standpoint, but they would not receive a 2023 draft pick in the trade.
The Situation Could Get Messy
The closer we get to April 17th, the more pressure there will be to make a deal. If negotiations drag on and Rodgers chooses to attend workouts with the Packers, it could create an awkward situation at team facilities.
Last offseason, the San Francisco 49ers and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had a similar situation, but they did not come to an agreement allowing him to stay out of team facilities while trade discussions continued. Unlike Garoppolo and his former team, Rodgers and Green Bay have not talked about a similar deal.
As time runs out on offseason workouts and trading becomes more urgent ahead of next season’s start, both teams will have to find common ground soon, or risk having things escalate further.
In conclusion, while there has been optimism that a deal could be reached between the Green Bay Packers and the New York Jets for Aaron Rodgers, a trade has yet to be finalized. The April 17th deadline and compensation remain sticking points in negotiations. With the clock ticking down towards next season’s start, both teams will need to find common ground soon, or face the risk of an awkward situation developing within team facilities as a result of the ongoing negotiations.
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