During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Wednesday, quarterback Aaron Rodgers stated that he plans to play for the New York Jets this season. He indicated that he reached this decision on Friday and that he is not delaying a trade, although the trade has not been finalized yet. According to sources, the two teams and Rodgers are still in communication as they work towards finalizing a potential deal, which involves restructuring Rodgers' contract and agreeing on compensation for the trade.
On Wednesday, ESPN reported that the Packers are open to trading Rodgers, but there are still details to be ironed out, and negotiations are ongoing. Rodgers clarified that he is not causing any hold-up and that the compensation is the main issue that the Packers are working on. He mentioned that the Packers want to move forward and have informed him of their intentions.
After spending four days in a retreat without any light, quarterback Rodgers revealed that he was almost certain he would retire at the time. He added that when he emerged from the retreat, the Packers' previous position of wanting him to play his entire career in Green Bay had altered, and he wished the team had been more transparent with him earlier in the offseason.
Although he will always have affection for the Packers organization, Rodgers stated that it is evident that a transformation is required.
Rodgers shared that various teams have expressed interest in trading for him, although he did not specify which teams. However, he did mention that he would like to reunite with a particular player, believed to be Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams, his former teammate on the Packers. Unfortunately, the Raiders have taken themselves out of the running for a veteran quarterback, as they have agreed to sign Jimmy Garoppolo.
Rodgers explained that there are several reasons why he finds the Jets an attractive option, including the fact that Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has been an influential coach in his career. Hackett was the Packers' coordinator from 2019 to 2021, during which time Rodgers won his third and fourth NFL MVP awards. However, Rodgers refuted the notion that Hackett was hired by the Jets solely to recruit him, stating that such a belief undermines Hackett's coaching abilities.
Just a year ago, it appeared that Rodgers would finish his career with the Packers. However, following some consideration, he signed a contract extension in March 2022 worth $150 million over three years. The contract includes a guaranteed $59.465 million in salary and bonus for this season, primarily consisting of a $58.3 million bonus due by Week 1 of the season. If the Packers trade Rodgers before June 1, they will have $40.3 million in dead money on their salary cap. On the other hand, Rodgers' prorated bonus money means that he would have a salary cap hit of $15.8 million for the Jets in 2023 and $32.5 million in 2024, which is manageable for a player of his caliber.
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