Green Bay Packers discuss backup Aaron Rodgers trade as Jets move stalls
The San Francisco 49ers have reached out to the Green Bay Packers about usurping the New York Jets by completing a trade for four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.
The Jets and Packers have been engaged in trade talks for the last few months after it became clear Green Bay were willing to move off Rodgers and progress with Jordan Love in 2023 and beyond. On the Pat McAfee Show last month, Rodgers publicly announced his ‘intention’ to play for New York - but no deal has yet been struck between the two franchises.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh recently revealed he was confident in completing the high-profile trade for Rodgers, but others could swoop if talks reach an impasse. Packers insider Craig Carton claimed the 49ers re-engaged Green Bay about the sensational prospect of moving for the 39-year-old.
Carton suggested that Rodgers would be keen on playing for San Francisco given the proximity to his home and the Super Bowl-calibre roster possessed by the 49ers. Speaking on Fox Sports 1, he said: “Aaron Rodgers would absolutely want to play for this franchise, and the franchise is the San Francisco 49ers.
“They have Trey Lance coming off a broken ankle. They’ve got Brock Purdy, who’s not going to be throwing the ball until August or September. And they signed Sam Darnold. They do not have a (franchise) quarterback right now. Maybe Trey becomes a stud - we don’t know. Aaron Rodgers is from the area and has always said he might want to go home one day.”
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He added: “Now, he famously also said he wants to stick it to San Francisco for not drafting me. Well, he already has done that. So here’s the reality: San Francisco does not have a first-round draft pick in this draft - they gave them all away to get Trey Lance. They do, however, because of compensatory picks, have three third-round picks. So the conversation has been multiple third-round picks in this draft and a first-round pick in next year’s draft.”
Aaron Rodgers has played for the Green Bay Packers for 18 years after he was drafted in 2005 (Getty Images)It remains to be seen whether the 49ers would consider surrendering two or three of their third-round picks in 2023, as well as their first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft for Rodgers. His enormous NFL-leading annual salary also poses an issue, as 49ers CEO Jed York recently admitted the franchise want to take advantage of having a quarterback on a rookie contract to add talent like Javon Hargrave in free agency.
Discussing the 49ers’ roster-building philosophy at the NFL league meetings back in March, York said: “We wanted to be able to have a young quarterback on a rookie contract that allows you to be able to say, all right, Javon’s kind of a bonus.
“There’s a delta between what you’re spending on your quarterback versus what everyone is spending on their quarterback. And I hope that one of these guys gets a massive extension with the San Francisco 49ers at some point. But until then, we’re going to make sure that we build this thing around a young quarterback with a very team-friendly contact.”
Rodgers - a 10-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro - signed a monster new contract with the Packers last offseason to earn $50.27m per year through the 2026 season, when he will be 43 years of age. The Super Bowl XLV MVP finished 2022 with 12 interceptions - the most he threw in a single campaign since 2008, his first year as a starter - while he also failed to post a single 300-yard passing game for the first time in his career.
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