Aaron Rodgers has confirmed he is able to go away the Inexperienced Bay Packers for the New York Jets.
The quarterback made the announcement throughout an look on the Pat McAfee Present on Wednesday. He mentioned he had been contemplating whether or not to retire or return to the NFL however that “since Friday I made it clear that my intention was to play [in the NFL] and play for the Jets, and I haven’t been holding something up. It’s the compensation that the Packers try to get … The Packers wish to transfer on and have let me know that in so many phrases.”
The Packers and Jets have but to agree on a commerce, they usually might want to come to phrases on compensation and a doable restructuring of Rodgers’ contract. He is because of make $59.5m in wage and bonuses this season however, based on ESPN, the Packers would take up a lot of that value and he would solely depend $15.8m in 2023 and $32.5m in 2024 in the direction of the Jets’ wage cap.
The 39-year-old mentioned he went right into a darkness retreat earlier this 12 months 90% certain he would retire. That mindset modified, apparently to the Jets’ profit. Rodgers added that he nonetheless has fond emotions in the direction of Inexperienced Bay and its followers.
“I fucking love that metropolis,” he mentioned. “I like that group and all the time going to have love for that group. The information are proper now they wish to transfer on and now so do I.”
On Tuesday, it was reported that Rodgers had given the Jets a “want listing” of gamers he wished alongside him, a lot of them present or former Packers teammates. A kind of gamers, receiver Allen Lazard, has since apparently agreed phrases with the Jets. On Wednesday, Rodgers mentioned reviews of a want listing had been “ridiculous” however added the Jets had requested him about former teammates. “My solely demand is for transparency,” he mentioned.
Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP, an honor he received twice when Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was a part of the teaching workers in Inexperienced Bay. Nevertheless, he recorded his lowest passer score for a full season in 2022 because the Packers missed the playoffs for the primary time since 2018. In mitigation, Rodgers performed a lot of the season with a damaged thumb and had misplaced his greatest receiver, Davante Adams, to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Jets, in the meantime, have a proficient younger roster boasting each the offensive and defensive rookies of the 12 months, Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner. Their failure to achieve the playoffs final season was broadly blamed on poor quarterback play, an issue that may theoretically be solved by Rodgers ought to the Packers and Jets conform to phrases.
If Rodgers does transfer from Inexperienced Bay to the Jets, he’ll observe within the footsteps of his predecessor, Brett Favre. Favre joined the Jets in 2008 after 16 seasons with the Packers. He threw 22 touchdowns and a league-leading 22 interceptions in his solely season with the Jets, which was hampered by damage.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, ESPN reported that former No 1 total choose Baker Mayfield has agreed phrases with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who’re looking for a beginning quarterback after the retirement of Tom Brady.
