ESPN analyst says Aaron Rodgers makes Jets ‘Super Bowl contenders,’ thinks Packers won trade
After several months of rumors and negotiations, the New York Jets have a franchise quarterback.
The Green Bay Packers agreed to trade Rodgers to the Jets on Monday, ending the four-time MVP’s 18-year career playing in front of the fans at Lambeau Field.
In order to acquire Rodgers, the Jets will send the 13th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, a 2023 second-round pick, a 2023 sixth-round pick, and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first-round pick if Rodgers plays 65% of the plays in 2023.
Green Bay will send the 15th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft and a 2023 fifth-round pick to New York.
And while ESPN’s analyst Robert Griffin III thinks the acquisition makes the Jets Super Bowl contenders, the Heisman Trophy winner thinks the Packers got the better end of the deal.
"The Jets are BONAFIDE Super Bowl contenders now, but that doesn’t change the fact that they got ABSOLUTELY FLEECED on this trade," Griffin posted to Twitter. "Packers are getting a better fist [sic] round pick this year, a 2nd rounder this year, and a more than likely 1st rounder next year for 1-2 years of Rodgers."
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers signals that the Packers need one more win before playing the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 1, 2023, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
On Tuesday, Jets general manager Joe Douglas defended the trade compensation as the Jets look to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1968.
"I mean, obviously, we're comfortable with how this deal is shaped," Douglas said, according to ESPN. "I don't think anyone ever walks away from a negotiation where you feel like you won everything in terms of what's going back and forth. But ultimately our goal from the beginning was to add Aaron to the team and so we were able to get that agreed to and [we're] just excited to get him here."
Head coach Robert Saleh, left, of the New York Jets talks with general manager Joe Douglas at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center on July 28, 2021, in Florham Park, New Jersey. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
The Jets are coming off a year in which they went 7-10 and missed out on the playoffs for the 12th straight year.
The 2021 second-overall pick, Zach Wilson, was benched twice during the season after taking major steps back in his second season.
"I feel like this is going to be a great thing for Zach," Douglas said. "No one works harder, no one loves ball [more] than Zach Wilson and him having the opportunity to really shadow and be with a Hall of Fame quarterback every day, every hour – that's a great opportunity, a great learning experience."
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