Aaron Rodgers to Jets? Did Aaron slip us the ayahuasca? What’s going on? Well, nothing… yet. But, with the recent head-scratching Jets hire of Nathaniel Hackett, the Aaron Rodgers to Jets rumors have officially ramped up a notch. The writing has been on the wall for a “break up” between the Packers and their nearly 20-year signal caller – as the tensions publicly raised last off-season amidst a contract dispute.
The funny thing is about the Aaron Rodgers to Jets talks, and more specifically, these dramatics of the Green Bay Packers is… we’ve seen this movie before. Literally, almost this exact movie. In fact, it’s how Aaron Rodgers’ career began. The Packers have a future HOF quarterback, they draft a younger one, tensions escalate; and the quarterback leaves. Ring a bell?
While I’m not saying the Aaron Rodgers to Jets rumor is a bonafide prediction – but let’s be honest, out of all of the potential outcomes of this situation, this one is certainly one of the most realistic; and also, the juiciest. Here’s why:
Aaron Rodgers to Jets: The Good
The Jets
This potential blockbuster move would be good for the Jets because, well – for the first time in a long time – the Jets themselves are actually good. To the extent of “a quarterback away” from really good. And more importantly, they’re past the point of rebuilding, that happened 2 years ago with the hire of Robert Saleh, and was supposed to happen with the drafting of Zach Wilson. But, to put it bluntly, Wilson is not the answer. Hell, his own team doesn’t even like him. So scratch an entire rebuild – no, play the 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers or 2021 Los Angeles Rams game, and sign yourself a solid veteran QB – and win… now.
And with the abdundance of young offensive talent the Jets have in Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, Denzel Mims, Michael Carter, and Breece Hall – as Jerry McGuire would say, “Aaron, you complete me“. In all seriousness, it’s a damn good fit; and in one sense, you can’t really blame Aaron Rodgers for wanting to go there. Because, after all, the Packers did trade away practically his only weapon in DaVante Adams – and did nothing at all to revamp his receiver room. And to go to an up and coming team like the Jets who has a bevy of young, energetic weapons; it might just re-stoke the flames of the once dominant Aaron Rodgers.
Aaron Rodgers to Jets: The Bad
Aaron Rodgers
AARON RODGERS AND BAD IN THE SAME SENTENCE?!? Yup, you heard it here first.
And to be clear – I’m by no means calling the back-to-back MVP winner bad. However, for the past few years, Aaron Rodgers has been vilifying himself in the public eye nearly every Tuesday on the Pat Mcafee show – with ridiculous quips and tropes. Whether it’s bashing on his own teammates, or placing the blame elsewhere – Aaron Rodgers is the equivalent of the cool guy in high school who thinks he’s way cooler than he is. (I mean, come on, bragging about taking Ayahuasca?)
Let’s be honest, Aaron Rodgers has been an incredible quarterback for the past 15 years – there’s no doubt in that, but now, it’s starting to look more and more like it’s his time to ride off into the sunset.
While a Rodgers to the Jets deal would be similar to Tom Brady going to the Bucs – there’s one major difference: Tom Brady didn’t force his way out. In fact, it was more-so the other way around. No, what Aaron Rodgers is doing is much more like his predacessor… Brett Favre. He retired, then came back to… the Jets. How’d that work out? He played like crap, and pissed a lot of people off. Aaron Rodgers is effectively doing the same thing… Overall, it’d just be a bad look, and a tragedy for we who are old enough to remember when players stayed on the same team their whole careers… Ah, good times…
Aaron Rodgers to Jets: The Ugly
The Packers
Okay, this one qualifies as ugly because an Aaron Rodgers-less year without any solid back up plan will be… well, ugly. But to be fair, last season with Aaron Rodgers was ugly, too! But, as most rebuilds go – you can’t run away from the ugliness, you just have to embrace it for at least a year.
Sure, one could argue that the Packers are a few pieces away from getting back on the right track – but last season proved otherwise; as their defense was faulty on many occasions, and their offensive line was flawed. It sucks to see Aaron Jones’ talent go to waste if this is the next step – but sometimes, you just need to bite the bullet. What you have isn’t working – accept it and move on.
If I were the Packers GM, here’s what I’d do: trade up in the draft and get yourself a young QB. Then, change up your offensive scheme to a run heavy offense that utilizes Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. See how that goes, and if you tank – you tank. But at least you’re not fooling yourselves with any delusion of being a contender. Because if Aaron Rodgers himself would’ve played better last year, they could’ve made the playoffs. Sure, maybe not a Super Bowl run, but the playoffs, for sure – they were one game away! Maybe a renovation at the quarterback position can cause some immediate ugliness; but sorry, Packers, you can’t always be dominant.
Aaron Rodgers to Jets: Conclusion
With every transaction – especially block-busters, there’s a winner, and a loser. And while the short term loser might be the Green Bay Packers, in the long run – I believe it’d actually end up being a win-win. The Packers put a rest to the drama, and allow themselves to embark on a new journey – like breaking up with a significant other, and ending up finding someone else you love.
After all, it seems like the Green Bay Packers have been eternally good – so I’m sure they’ll figure things out rather quickly. And as mentioned, a majority of their players are developing, anyways – so why not start now, and put yourself in position for another run in a few years? And for the Jets, after years of struggle in the post Rex Ryan era; you can finally solidify a culture of winning.
Again, this is all early speculation, and as much as I can’t stand this player-centric age of demanding trades, there’s another part of me that’s here merely for the storyline.
For More Great Football Content
Follow us on Twitter at @GridironHeroics for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Football news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
