After waiting too long to make an offer to Derek Carr, will the Jets obtain Aaron Rodgers services? Carr seemed ready to go to the New York Jets and abruptly changed courses, signing with the New Orleans Saints. The Jets have been waiting in the wings to try and obtain the first-ballot hall of fame quarterback.
Updates
Per Sports Illustrated, “Quarterback Aaron Rodgers touched base with the Jets on Monday, Trey Wingo reports.“While nothing is imminent Rodgers is open to the idea of going to NY,” he said. The news represents an important step forward as Rodgers and his longtime team, the Green Bay Packers, appear to be truly entertaining a breakup after multiple years of rumors, speculation about potential trades, and the notion of the four-time MVP’s potential retirement. While this could make the Jets contenders right away, the part people seem to forget is – what will it cost the Jets? Trading for a guaranteed Hall of Fame quarterback to boost a team that should have made the playoffs last year is great, but at what cost? Will the cost to trade for him keep them out of contention? Will it cripple the organization for the next decade or so with players and picks it would cost?
The Past
The Jets, oddly enough, have a history of picking up late-career Packers Hall of Fame quarterbacks. When Favre’s time was up in Green Bay, he chose to get traded to the New York Jets. While he performed reasonably well there it did not end in a Super Bowl win for the franchise or a playoff appearance. This trade cost the Jets a conditional pick, which ended up being a third-round pick. Not terrible compensation for the Hall of Fame quarterback late in his career.
The Present
Rodgers could be considered to be in roughly the same stage of his career, and like Favre, mulling retirement. This time around, however, the Packers will be requesting a bounty to obtain Rodgers’ services and realistically – how much longer will he even play? Is it wise to mortgage your team’s future for a shot at a Super Bowl? A shot at a Super Bowl in the best conference in football right now, with young, superstar quarterbacks everywhere you look. This does not seem like a realistic thought process to even consider. Only time will tell what the Jets plans will be moving forward, will they stick with what they have in Zach Wilson and Mike White? Or, will they go all in for Rodgers or even consider other free-agent quarterbacks? With the Jets, what may be in their best interest as a team has not always been the path that they have taken forward.
Main Photo: Mark Hoffman – USA TODAY Sports
