For the second time in 15 years, the Green Bay Packers are trading an aging icon to the New York Jets.
The Packers agreed Monday to deal quarterback Aaron Rodgers and their 2023 first-round pick (No. 15) and a 2023 fifth-round pick (No. 170) to the Jets for New York’s 2023 first-round pick (No. 13), a 2023 second-round pick (No. 42), a 2023 sixth-round pick (No. 207) and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first if Rodgers plays 65% of the plays this season.
Although Hall of Fame quarterback and Jets franchise icon Joe Namath gave Rodgers his blessing to wear No. 12, the new Jets quarterback is expected to wear No. 8 — the number he wore in college at Cal.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was hesitant to comment on the deal in much detail Monday, but — during his previously scheduled annual pre-draft news conference, which began shortly after news of the trade terms broke — he said there were still a few final details to be worked out. Among them likely is the fact that Rodgers still must take his physical.
The blockbuster comes 40 days after Rodgers announced on “The Pat McAfee Show” that his “intention” was to play for the Jets in 2023, triggering intermittent negotiations between the Jets and Packers that dominated the NFL headlines.
The two sides talked for weeks before talks broke down, then discussions heated up again late last week. Finally, Jets general manager Joe Douglas and Gutekunst were able to bridge their differences and come to an agreement.
With Rodgers now traded to New York, the Jets are expected to become prime-time darlings when the NFL schedule is released next month and could play up to six prime-time games, sources told Schefter. They had one last year, a Thursday night home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
After the trade, the Jets’ odds at Caesars Sportsbook to win the Super Bowl are 14-1, while the Packers’ are 50-1. The Jets’ odds to make the playoffs are at -150, while the Packers’ are at +170. Rodgers’ odds to be named the NFL’s MVP are at 18-1, the seventh-shortest among all players.