The Green Bay Packers reportedly took less than they expected from the New York Jets in exchange for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
It’s tough to blame Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst, as he was in between a rock and a hard place while trying to trade away a franchise-altering talent.
Even at over 40 years of age, Aaron Rodgers has the potential to take the New York Jets to the playoffs and more. That’s why they dealt a first-round pick and more for his services, despite the fact that he may only play one season in New York green.
However, per the New York Post, the Packers were initially seeking a Russell Wilson-like trade package for Rodgers. That dream ended real fast.
Odds are, Rodgers first season with the Jets goes far better than Russell Wilson’s with the Denver Broncos, but there’s a reason no team wanted to make that trade. The market for quarterbacks is out of control, and it can kill a franchise’s momentum to deal for the wrong one. Just look at Denver.
Did the Packers lose the Aaron Rodgers trade?
At the time, it was easy to point to the Packers as winners of the Rodgers trade. They received the best trade package, and acquired more draft capital than was initially expected. FanSided’s Cody Williams diagnosed the trade in its aftermath:
More importantly, though, the Packers come out of this trade as the winners. They hit that reset button but get to do so with a bevy of draft capital now that includes a Top 13 pick, two second-round picks, and a full overall draft haul otherwise, including, at worst, a second-rounder in next year’s draft. It was a monster deal and one that could pay off hugely for the Pack in the long run, especially as they hope to get Love off on the right foot.
Packers Get
2023 first-round pick (12)
2023 second-round pick (43)
2023 sixth-round pick (207)
2024 conditional second-round pick
Jets Get
QB, Aaron Rodgers
2023 first-round pick (15)
2023 fifth-round pick (170)
If Rodgers plays 65 percent of the Jets plays, that conditional second-round selection becomes a first.
While the Pack didn’t receive a Russell Wilson-like package for Rodgers, that was always an unrealistic goal. When a trade goes awry in the NFL, rival teams take notice. Rodgers is on the wrong side of 40 years old, and dictated his own market. He wanted a move to New York, and the Jets knew it.
Somehow, someway, the Packers still received some solid draft capital in return.