After a long stalemate, the Green Bay Packers traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets. The two sides had been negotiating for months, but have agreed to a deal on the week of the draft. ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news on Monday afternoon and the details of the trade.
Trade compensation, per sources:
Jets get:
🏈Aaron Rodgers, pick No. 15, a 2023 5th-rd pick (No. 170).Packers get:
🏈Pick No. 13, a 2023 2nd-rd pick (No. 42), a 6th-rd pick (No. 207), a conditional 2024 2nd-rd pick that becomes a 1st if Rodgers plays 65 percent of the plays. pic.twitter.com/Q2vUMfyZGH— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2023
Ultimately, the Jets received the star quarterback along with the 15th overall pick and a fifth-round pick (No. 170) in this years draft, while the Green Bay Packers received the 13th overall pick plus second and sixth-rounders in the 2023 NFL Draft and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first-round pick if Rodgers plays 65 percent of plays.
Who Won the Aaron Rodgers Trade?
New York Jets Point of View
The Aaron Rodgers trade makes a lot of sense for the Jets as they have a desperate need at quarterback after Zach Wilson’s disastrous season. Plus, this is a roster that is ready to compete for a Super Bowl with the right quarterback and they’re getting that in Rodgers.
Being 39 years old, Rodgers isn’t the long-term solution, but he still has some gas left in the tank. Although he didn’t play at the MVP level that he has in the past, he still nearly led a depleted Packers roster with limited weapons to work with on offense to the playoffs.
On top of that, it’s important to note that the Jets are in win-now mode and making an aggressive move like this is necessary to compete for a Super Bowl in a loaded AFC. Aside from missing on Zach Wilson the Jets have done a phenomenal job of building their roster through the draft. Next season we’ll be able to see what this roster is capable of doing with a star quarterback under center.
Green Bay Packers Point of View
While the Jets are understandably excited about landing Aaron Rodgers, Packers fans should be quite pleased with the return they got for Rodgers. With the current state of the roster, the Packers weren’t Super Bowl contenders even with Aaron Rodgers under center. Even in a weak NFC last season, the Packers still only managed to win eight games and missed the playoffs as a result. So, it was a good time to hand the reins over to 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love and see what he can do.
With it being obvious that the Packers intended to trade Aaron Rodgers, they didn’t have a whole lot of leverage to work with. That leverage got even weaker when it was announced that Rodgers intends to play for the Jets. With that being said, getting what will be a first-round pick next year if Rodgers stays healthy and a second-rounder this year given the circumstances around the trade is a good outcome for them.
The Packers will move forward into next season with Jordan Love at quarterback and they’ll be able to see how he performs and what they have in him. This Aaron Rodgers trade package gives them some valuable assets they can use to build their roster for the future.
Ultimately, the trade is a win for both sides, but given the lack of leverage that the Packers had in this situation, fans should be very happy with the return they got.
Main Photo: Mike De Sisti – USA Today Sports
