NFL insider reveals how Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford factored into Aaron Rodgers trade
Now that Aaron Rodgers is a member of their team, the New York Jets are living the dream. The trade has uplifted the spirits of the franchise, which had been suffering without a quarterback that could take them to the promised land for so long. Now everyone at Florham Park feels reenergized.
To get to this moment, a lot of water had to run under the bridge. The negotiations happened over several months, and at times, the two sides were so far apart that the deal could have fallen through.
The Packers were using deals for Matthew Stafford (Lions-Rams) and Russell Wilson (Seahawks-Broncos) as the baseline for their deal, but according to NY Post insider Brian Costello, the Jets were having none of it:
"The Packers were only going to negotiate with the team Aaron wanted to go to. Douglas and Gutekunst spoke by phone during the combine about a trade.
"At the time, the Packers were looking for a deal similar to what the Seahawks got for Russell Wilson and the Lions got for Matthew Stafford. Both deals included two first-round picks. The Jets had no interest in trading two first-round picks for a 39-year-old who might play only one season in New York.
"The trade could have died there, but the Packers granted the Jets permission to speak to Rodgers directly, even though the two teams had not agreed on trade compensation, which was highly unusual and would set the stage for a dramatic standoff."
Eventually, both sides softened their demands, which allowed the deal to go through. New York now has the superstar quarterback, while Green Bay is moving on with Jordan Love.
What were the terms of Rodgers' trade to the Jets?
To get the quarterback, the team had to give up a second-round pick in 2023 and a conditional second-round pick in 2024 that will become a first-rounder if he plays more than 65 percent of his snaps.
There was also a swap of first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, where New York gave up the No. 13 and received the No. 15. Another swap happened with late picks, as Joe Douglas gave up a fifth-round pick and received a sixth.
Aaron Rodgers' Knicks outing brings Jessica Alba into Jets universe
An appearance for Rodgers and Sauce Gardner at a New York Knicks' playoff game created a humorous moment involving actress Jessica Alba. The quarterback mocked the cornerback after he did not recognize the TV superstar.
Alba joked about the situation later, stating that Gardner probably just wanted to hang out with kids his own age. Alba and Rodgers are much older than Gardner.