Pressure is squarely on the Jets. I live in Nj and most Jet fans and players can't wait to get Rodgers. What a let down to go from Rodgers to Tannehill or worse yet, Wilson. A second this year and a first next or we find another buyer, Niners, Titans, Ravens.

I would much prefer Gute find some competitive buyers for Rodgers than wait another year for compensation. The 49ers reportedly have some interest and if I were Gute, I would be actively encouraging that interest. Competition means the best price for Rodgers.

And I wouldn't want to shift $24 million onto the 2024 cap. TGR has already demonstrated that the Packer's 2024 cap is not a picnic (mostly due to Bahk's $40 million hit) and adding another $24 million onto 2024 just extends the Packer cap problems. No thanks.

Absolutely not, quit kicking the can down the road. If the Packers are in position to absorb the dead $ hit this year DO IT! They will not be a SB contender this season so take the hit now and hopefully open things up more next year and moving forward. Plus, gonna have to deal with big cap #'s from other players they've already pushed out.

The Jets are desperate for a QB that they think can take them to the Super Bowl in the next year or two. But I wonder if they're starting to appreciate all the drama that Rodgers brings with him, and their enthusiasm for him is beginning to wane a bit. On the flip side, can the Packers afford to have him back on the team for another year or two. The relationship between him and the front office is fractured to the point where he might come back even if it means being Love's backup simply to stick it to Gutey, and to collect his $60 million. Let's face it, despite what he says, he's motivated by money.
So what's more important than the timing is just getting it done. There's been mistakes going back years in the way the Rodgers situation has been handled--they're water under the bridge. Time to put ego's aside, time not to focus on principles, time not to try to squeeze every last drop out to get the best deal, time to do what's right to move the team forward--without Rodgers.

I don't see why GB should provide 'insurance' with respect to AR once he becomes a NYJ.
Nobody can predict what this sensitive genius might decide while on one of his ayahuasca trips.
With that diva it's buyer beware!

I agree with the idea of holding off on the trade until after June 1. But I disagree that the trade will net the Packers a large number of draft picks. I see two additional picks, two second rounders. They will never get a first-rounder for Rodgers. You make a trade based on the future and not the past. As good as Rodgers is(was) he won't play much longer, so his value to the Jets is short-lived. Remember, Brett Favre, Hall of Famer, netted one conditional fourth-round pick and he was younger than Rodgers.

One thing to break the logjam might be a starter from the Jets coming to the Packers. Depending on how the Jets see their depth a wide receiver might help. Remember: no draft pick, regardless of their hype or where selected, is a sure bet to work out. Similarly, a veteran can also wash out(Sammy Watkins) but the chance of it is less. The Packers need a back up QB and Zach Wilson's time in New Jersey is ending. Wilson will never be Aaron Rodgers, but a new offense might move him forward at least to being an adequate back up. He might have matured a bit from the dust up last year. The Jets signed Tim Boyle so Wilson is the odd man out.

I'm not convinced the Jets will punt and simply walk away from the deal. This would be the nightmare scenario for the Packers, but that's another story.

Patience, a virtue lost on the modern generations, will be tested.

Postpone it? I'd kill it. He's the greatest!
He's George Blanda and can play forever.
What haven't I said, that needs said more.
The longer he's a packer; the happier I Am.
And you just have to come back to earth.
This is not; The planet of the apes.

Seems fundamentally odd for the Jets to compensate GB AFTER they’ve had the use of 12.
Cap-wise, I’m in the “pay it off NOW” crowd.

After the trade market was set for veteran QB's by Denver and Detroit, GB would be idiots to settle for less than at least one high 1st round pick. If the Jets don't pony up, let Rodgers come back as a backup. When the regular season starts and a contender loses it's starting QB to an early season injury, GB can dangle Rodgers in front of a desperate team, and all of a sudden, multiple draft picks will be offered. Wait the league out. Something will happen. If not, at least everyone will see Rodgers' ego crushed as he sits on the bench.

I think that they may have done that already. Nobody is going to blink and both teams may suffer. It’s just a question of how much. In any case this is driving the media nuts.

The longer the Jets stand on feet of clay the more other teams will seriously begin to negotiate...SF, NE for example.

No.

Jonathan: "We’re all desperate for this ridiculous Aaron Rodgers drama to be over,"

STR: Jonathan, what "drama"?

What specifically is the "drama"?

Who specifically is "desperate" for "it" (i.e. so called "drama") to be over and why specifically?
Jonathan: "But I’ve become convinced that as annoying as it would be for this thing to drag on past this year’s draft,"

STR: "Annoying" why?

R - E -L - A - X.

RELAX, as Aaron Rodgers would say.

Jonathan: "appear to have laid a massive egg by investing in Zach Wilson."

STR: Interesting as when Zach Wilson - the starting BYU QB in 2019, prior to being the Jets 1st round pick and 2nd overall NFL pick in 2021 - was injured for a couple games in 2019 two BYU freshman Jaren Hall and Baylor Romney stepped in and swamped Jordan Love and Utah State 42-14 with Jordan fumbling and throwing 3 interceptions:

"Utah State was undone by poor execution, on both sides of the ball.

On offense, the lack of execution was evidenced by more turnovers, as Utah State finished the game with five and was minus-three in turnover margin.

Love threw a third interception in the second half, increasing his season total to 11, and fumbled as well.
A turnover on downs, after a nine-play, 79-yard drive that took the Aggies deep into BYU territory, didn’t help either."

Zach Wilson also outperformed Jordan as a junior that year although Wilson was just a sophomore playing against and defeating teams from the Power 5 conferences like Pac 12 (USC) and SEC (Tennessee) and giving Utah and Washington good games as well.

Jonathan: "Enhancing Rodgers’ arrival with high-draft pieces on top of an already talented roster makes that team Super Bowl contenders."

STR: Jonathan, do you mean that a Packer team that just completed THREE 13-3, 13-3, and 13-4 seasons and was 3-1 until Rodgers broke the thumb on his throwing hand and until the Packers lost several other starters to injury, several for the season, are not Super Bowl contenders?

Are you saying that Rodgers turns the Jets - who have not been to the playoffs since 2010 and were 2-14, 4-13, and 7-10 the last 3 seasons - into a Super Bowl contender?

If yes, this Aaron Rodgers must be a MIRACLE WORKER!

Rodgers certainly was with the Packers, where unlike any of the 31 other teams in the NFL the Packers did not spend a single first round draft choice from 2003 through 2022 on an offensive weapon (WR, RB or TE)!!!!

Are you saying the 2-14, 4-13, and 7-10 Jets are now - by adding Rodgers - more of a Super Bowl contender than a Packer team that just completed THREE 13-3, 13-3, and 13-4 seasons and was 3-1 until Rodgers broke the thumb on his throwing hand and the Packers lost several other starters to injury, several for the season?

Jonathan: "The Packers, on the other hand, would naturally like to take advantage of the Jets’ position in this year’s draft. They want to get as much help for Jordan Love as soon as possible. "

STR: Jonathan, as much help for Jordan Love as possible?

What was wrong with what the Packers had - future Hall of Famer Davante Adams (30) who left for less money with the Raiders because he obviously was being screwed with by Brian, Marquez Valdez Scantling (28) who saw what was going on with Brian, Alan Lazard (27) who saw what was going on with Brian, Randall Cobb (32), Robert Tonyan (28) and Mercedes Lewis (38)?

Jonathan: With Rodgers in the fold there’s no way the Jets are picking near the top of the draft next year. The mid-20s is best-case, and probably higher.

STR: Wow 25, BEST CASE, that means probably only 4 or 5 of 32 teams will finish better than the Rodgers led Jets!! And this year the Jets had 19 teams in front of them and all they have added in the post season is Green Bay's Lazard and maybe Rodgers.

Jonathan: But waiting has benefits. Financially, by trading Rodgers after June 1 (but before September), Green Bay eases his cap hit. Here’s how former agent Joel Corry describes it:

“The optimal time for the Packers to trade Rodgers salary cap wise is after June 1. By waiting until June 2, the bonus proration from Rodgers' 2024 through 2026 contract years wouldn't accelerate onto Green Bay's 2023 salary cap. It would be a 2024 cap charge… The Packers would free up $15.79 million of cap space. There would be $15,833,570 in dead money, a salary cap charge for a player no longer on a team's roster, from the bonus proration relating to Rodgers' 2023 contract year. There would be $24.48 million of dead money in 2024 from the 2024 through 2026 bonus proration."

STR: That $15.79 cap savings is relative to the $31.6 million cap hit the Packers take in 2023 if Aaron plays for the Packers in 2023. The 2023 cap savings is $24.3M if you compare the $40.1M 2023 cap hit if you trade Aaron BEFORE June 1, 2023 vs. the $15.8 cap hit with waiting until AFTER June 1, 2023.

Jonathan: The Packers have done a lot in the off-season to pull themselves out of a dire cap situation, but this would make life even easier.

STR: Jonathan, the Packers already have the 4th most cap space of any of the 32 teams in the NFL both in terms of first 51 players ($22.6 million cap space) which is all the NFL requires until September, and including all Packer players under contract.

And that is including the playing $31.6 cap hit of Aaron Rodgers - one year removed from leading all 32 teams' starting QBS in passer rating, a composite of completion %, interception %, touchdowns per pass attempt, and yards per pass attempt, not once but 2 years in a row and one year removed form 2 consecutive MVPs as well!!

Packers Cap Space with first 51 players, which is all that matters until September 2023 compared with other teams:

Bears $38.3
Panthers $27.2
Lions $24.0
Packers $22.6
Texan $22.5

Least Cap Space:
Vikings $1.1

Packers also 4th most cap space in the NFL in terms of total players:

Bears $27.7 (64 players signed)
Panthers $19.0M (62 players signed)
Rams $13.4M (45 players signed)
Packers $12.6M (65 players signed)
Lions $8.7M (70 players signed)

Least Cap Space

Commanders -17.2 (75 players signed)

Google 2023 salary cap by team.

Try Over the Cap or Spotrac.

The idea that the Packers had a salary cap issue is PACKER MANAGEMENT PROPAGANDA and a PATENTED EXCUSE for the FACT THAT PACKER MANAGEMENT IS NOT ONLY ALIENATING PLAYERS FROM THE LEAGUE FOR PLAYING IN GREEN BAY, BUT LONG TIME PACKER VETERANS TOO - like Davante and MVS in 2022 and like Lazard and Tonyan who just walked away in 2023.

So the Packers have more cap space than 28 of the 32 teams and trading Rodgers after June 1, 2013 would just add another $15.8 in cap space relative to the Packers keeping Rodgers playing on the bench in 2023.
But what is the cap space for?

The Packers are not using it to sign valuable young (Davante, MVS, Tonyan Lazard, Reed) and older Packer veterans (Cobb, Lewis, Crosby)?

The Packers have blown their chance to use some of that $22.6 million - or $21.8 million if you prefer Over the Cap's numbers - to sign their own free agents - Tonyan (Bears 2023 cap hit $2.6 million) , Lazard (Jets 2023 cap hit $3.2 million), and Jarran Reed (Seahawks $3 million) or Cobb and Lewis who are both still unsigned and will each probably sign one year deals in the $2 to $2.5 million range.

And the Jets, who just signed Lazard two weeks ago have $9.8 in cap space for their first 51 players compared to the Packers $22.6 million for their first 51 players.

Jonathan: The bigger positive is the 2024 draft, which is quarterback rich. Despite all the optimism around
Jordan Love, there’s no certainty that he’ll be a top-end quarterback, let alone the team’s next franchise quarterback.

STR: Well for any fact based objective thinker that is certainly true regarding the future prospects for Jordan Love.

In all probability, based on all the data points,Jordan will not be a top end QB, let alone the team's franchise QB.

Jonathan: What’s critical for Green Bay is that it not get caught in endless mediocre-QB purgatory that has plagued teams like Washington, Detroit and post-Luck Indianapolis, to name a few.

STR: Well, "The Horse is already out of the Barn" on that one as they say. Packer Management has just let the longest tenured 18 year Packer, just 12 months removed from 2 consecutive Passer Rating titles - standing alone ABOVE ALL OTHER 31 QUARTERBACKS - and 2 time MVP go talk to the Jets about a trade, when they could have simply refused.

Jonathan: By amassing 2024 (and perhaps 2025) draft assets, the Packers put themselves in a position to get one of the good QB prospects next year if Love doesn’t pan out. They can, and should, maximize this strategy further by trading down a couple of times in the upcoming draft.

STR: "Amassing" 2024 (and perhaps 2025) draft assets?

What does "amassing" mean specifically - how many additional picks for 2024?

How specifically do the Packers do that?

Trade what down? The 15th pick in the first round? The 45th pick in the 2nd round?
What do you get for those a 2nd and a 4th and and 3rd and a 5th in 2024 or 2025, as for some reason you want to make is easier for the Jets in building their 2023 team?

Lower round picks in 2023 or 2024, either way it doesn't matter, Brian has so weakened the WR position and tight end position by letting 4 solid receivers (Adams, MVS, Lazard, and Cobb) and 2 solid tight ends (Tonyan and Lewis) go and done the same to the defensive line by letting Jarran Reed go.
How does Brian repair the damage he has done?

Brian Gutekunst will not be able to match the value returned for the monies paid for Tonyan (Bears 2023 cap hit $2.6 million) , Lazard (Jets 2023 cap hit $3.2 million), and Jarran Reed (Seahawks $3 million) or Cobb and Lewis who are both still unsigned and will each probably sign one year deals in the $2 to $2.5 million range with what is left in Free Agency or some later round draft choice.

Jonathan: Yes, this compromises Green Bay for the coming season, but it is hardly a tank job.
STR: IT SURE IS A TANK JOB!!.

Jonathan: This is how successful teams manage major transitions without long stretches of down years.
STR: Nonsense.

Brian, trading Rodgers over Brian's EMOTION, EGO AND JEALOUSY and then letting go of all players - young and old - that were particularly friendly with Rodgers - is DESTRUCTION of a 13-3, 13-3, 13-4 team that was 3-1 and heading toward another similar 13-3 or 13-4 season before injuries struck - even with the Brian's ALIENATION of Davante and MVS.

Jonathan: If Love turns out to be great, even better! Having a treasure chest of picks in the next couple of years sets the team up for deep runs for a good while. I’ll take that in exchange for not making the playoffs in 2023 every time.

STR: Jonathan, "TREASURE CHEST" with what?

Maybe a 2nd and 4th and 3rd and 5th picks - at best - that the Packers would trade down for with their 15th and 45th over all picks in 2023?

The Packers drafted 28 receivers between 2003 and 2022, only 2 of the 28 selected made multiple pro bowls and both of those were selected in the 2nd round, Jennings (2 pro bowls) and Davante (6 pro bowls) and Davante had much better catch %'s with Aaron throwing to him than Derek Carr. Jordy also made 1 pro bowl and Cobb 1 pro bowl.

The other 24 Receivers disappeared and you mostly have long forgotten them or not ever heard of them after draft day:

The Packers have drafted 28 WRs over the last 20 years:
Yr, rnd, pick

1) Carl Ford 2005, 7, 255
2) DeAndrews Rubin 2005, 7, 256
3) Craig Bragg 2005, 6, 195
4) Terrence Murphy 2005, 2, 58
5) Greg Jennings 2006, 2, 52
6) Cory Rodgers 2006, 4, 194
7) Will Blackmon WR/CB 2006, 4, 115
8) James Jones 2007, 3, 78
9) David Clowney 2007, 5, 157
10) Jordy Nelson 2008, 2, 36
11) Brett Swain 2008, 7, 217
12) Randall Cobb 2011, 2, 64
13) Charles Johnson 2013, 7, 2016
14 Kevin Dorsey 2013, 7, 224
15) Davante Adams 2014, 2, 53
16) Jared Abbbrederis 2014, 5, 176
17) Jeff Janis 2014, 7, 236
18) Ty Montgomery 2015, 3, 94
19) Trevor Davis 2016, 5, 165
20) DeAngelo Yancy 2017, 5, 175
21) Malachi Dupre 2017, 7, 247
22) J'Mon Moore 2018, 4, 133
23) Marquez Valdes-Scantling 2018, 5, 174
24) Equanimeous St. Brown 2018, 6, 207
25) Amari Rodgers 2021, 3, 85
26) Christian Watson 2022, 2, 34
27) Romeo Doubs 2022, 4, 132
28) Samori Toure 2022, 7, 258

NONE OF THE 22 RECEIVERS DRAFTED BELOW THE 2ND ROUND MADE ANY PRO BOWLS - ZERO NONE, NEVER MIND 2 OR 4 OR MORE PRO BOWLS!!

And of the 6 wide receivers the Packers drafted in the 2nd round only Adams (6) made 4 or more pro bowls and only Jennings (2) - who the Packers screwed like 2002 1st round pick Javon Walker (who made the pro bowl and then tore his ACL after the Packer and Favre worked to screw him - for those that do not remember go back in history and read) - has made multiple (2 or more) pro bowls.

1 out of 28 Packer receivers - Davante Adams - picked in rounds 2 through 7 over 2003 through 2022 made the Pro Bowl more than 4 times (Davante 6 times. That is 3.57% for the Packers 28 2nd through 7th round receivers vs. 13.75% for the NFL's 80 first round picks.

2 out of 28 - Davante and Greg Jennings - made the Pro Bowl multiple times (2 or more times). That is 7.14% vs. 20% for the NFL's 80 first round picks.

So clearly the Packers drafting experience is consistent with the overall NFL draft data for the last 20 years .

And again - ZERO, NONE of the Packers 22 receivers picked after the 2nd round ever made the Pro Bowl AT ALL!!!

Based on 642 wide receivers drafted over the last 20 years 2003 through 2022:

You are nearly 6 times (5.92) more likely to draft a multiple time (2 or more times) pro bowl receiver in the 1st round– 20% chance - than in rounds 2 through 7 – 3.38% chance.

You are nearly more 10 times (9.82) likely to in a draft a receiver that will make the pro bowl 4 or more times in the first round - 13.75% chance - than in rounds 2 through 7 - 1.4% chance

Over the last 20 years - 2003 through 2022 - of the 80 first-round receivers, 16 (20%) have been selected to multiple Pro Bowls, including 11 (13.75%) with at least four. In the final six rounds, 562 receivers were drafted. Of that huge group, 19 (3.38%) have been selected to multiple Pro Bowls, including eight (1.4%) with at least four.”

The Packers experience over the past 20 yrs is very much in line with all other 31 NFL teams experience with wide receivers chosen in the 1st round and in rounds 2 thru 7.

Jonathan: The risk for the Packers is that the Jets walk away and trade for Ryan Tannehill, or tank with Wilson this year and grab one of the top prospects next year. But that risk exists now, given that there is no other market for Rodgers.

STR: That would be the BEST THING that could happen for the Packers as I have outlined before. THE JETS OFFERS EMBARASSINGLY LOW. There will be plenty of market for Rodgers both right before the draft and up until September and come next March 2024 too and the Packers should say thanks but no thanks to all.
Jonathan: With both teams having reasons to wait, it comes down to figuring out proper 2024-25 draft compensation, given the likelihood the Jets will pick much lower. I would not be surprised if this is a conversation Brian Gutekunst and Joe Douglas are having. Hopefully, someone finally blinks.

STR: Trading Rodgers and finalizing this foolish trade would require Brian being more emotion and jealousy driven and ignorant than he has been to date. That would be hard.

Listen to David Bakhtiari 4/7/23 Interview on Bussin' With The Boys Podcast w Taylor Lewan 3 X Pro Bowl tackle drafted 2014, 1st round, 11th overall pick & linebacker Will Compton

“The Packers are rebuilding, whether you think so or not, could they be good? I don’t know. Could they be bad? Probably if you’re betting more people are gonna think they’re gonna be bad than good, right? Isn’t that fair to say? So then they’ll be like, ‘Well, we’re gonna suck anyways. We want what we want, and we’re not gonna bend to anyone. So we’ll just eat it, stay unretired (Rodgers). We’ll pay you (Rodgers), we don’t care because If we’re gonna do it our way, it’s gonna be on our terms. If not, what are we gonna be, Super Bowl contenders anyway? So we’ll eat it, you (Rodgers) can hang on the side. We’ll pay you your (Rodgers) money, and then we’ll suck anyways, get the picks, as compared to dealing him for something that you (Brian Gutekunst, Packer GM) shouldn’t have, you (Gutekunst) could potentially look like an idiot to not only the President (Mark Murphy) and the Board but everyone else around the league thinking of the GM’s (Brian Gutekunst) perspective. Put yourself on the hotseat and then potentially have your job called into question”

The absence of an owner who would personally lose the $60 million Rodgers will be paid this year could make the outcome more palatable, since no one is actually losing the money — and given that the option bonus the Packers can exercise at any point between now and Week One will result in a much lower cap number for 2023.

Bakhtiari recognizes that the “keep Aaron and pay him to not play” is a third option worth at least watching, if the Jets draw a line in the sand that the Packers won’t cross.
Bakhtiari is correct.

Exercise Aaron's $58.3M option for 2025 before the September deadline, and let Jordan play as the starter this season.

In all probability, based on Jordan's leading all of college football in interceptions his last year of college and his few poor NFL appearances, Jordan will prove NOT to be the Packers future starter.
Meanwhile with Aaron as the 2023-24 backup, 2023-24 may still be able to be salvaged.
The Packers, come the May 1, 2023 deadline, certainly should not exercise their 5th year option on Jordan for $20 M and $20M of cap space hit for 2024.

THE GIANTS DID NOT EXERCISE THEIR 5TH YEAR OPTION ON DANIEL JONES LAST MAY AND JONES HAD 36 MORE STARTS THAN JORDAN LOVE AND JONES DID NOT LEAD ALL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN NTERCEPTIONS THROWN IN ANY OF HIS 3 YEARS AS DUKE'S STARTER!!!

Why don't give us all a break and speed up the process of becoming a Jets fan early. Nobody reads the posts you write anyway. We all just skip over them because it's like being in Groundhog Day. The same crap every post.

I have an idea for the Jets with their dilemma of not knowing if Rodgers will play in 2024. Which by the way is their problem to solve not ours. They could do what other big corporations do when wanting to attract or retain talent, make him feel wanted by showering Rodgers with perks. Pay for his living arrangements as part of his new contract. Rodgers is a Trump supporter so give him living quarters in Trump tower, complete with butler and maid. That should impress him. Give him a membership at an exclusive country club. That should be easy as there are many of those to choose from. Pay for his dinner accommodations every Friday night at fabulous restaurants as long as he keeps playing. Arrange for a chauffeured luxury vehicle to be at his disposal at all times. He gets all that and a lot of money as long as he keeps playing.

This isn't that hard Jets. And even those perks wouldn't be too much to spend for a 4 time MVP.

Most of the cap money saved if the deal is done after 6/1 can be roller into 2024 so we can still wait and not make 2024 worse.

First, you have to understand that Packers wants to avoid any distraction for team in this newest saga of ACR (Aaron Chocker Rodgers).

If they try to trade him to 49ers, he can chose to retire. This will offer possibility for Packers to clear all his dept for ACR. But, after the draft he might unretire and went to Jets as free player. Why? Because Packers asked and get from the league release of their obligations to ACR and if league grant them that, contract is finished and Packers do not have any possibility to influence on ACR future.

On the other hand if there is written document (including e-mails or messages) about the frame deal from Jets, Packers may decide to play hard ball and report Jets to the league for tempering. Because it will be obvious that Packers would not grant the privilege to Jets to speak with ACR without already agreed frame deal for ACR. That may cost Jets a lot and they may lose their picks in 2024 draft.

So, it is not so easy to get out of this mess. But, what I will say on this is that I respect proverb: "From patience comes perfection!" Be patient, all involved sides will eventually close the deal in borders of frame deal they presumably agreed.

Jonathan: "We’re all desperate for this ridiculous Aaron Rodgers drama to be over,"

STR: Jonathan, what "drama"?

What specifically is the "drama"?

Who specifically is "desperate" for "it" (i.e. so called "drama") to be over and why specifically?
Jonathan: "But I’ve become convinced that as annoying as it would be for this thing to drag on past this year’s draft,"

STR: "Annoying" why?

R - E -L - A - X.

RELAX, as Aaron Rodgers would say.

Jonathan: "appear to have laid a massive egg by investing in Zach Wilson."

STR: Interesting as when Zach Wilson - the starting BYU QB in 2019, prior to being the Jets 1st round pick and 2nd overall NFL pick in 2021 - was injured for a couple games in 2019 two BYU freshman Jaren Hall and Baylor Romney stepped in and swamped Jordan Love and Utah State 42-14 with Jordan fumbling and throwing 3 interceptions:

"Utah State was undone by poor execution, on both sides of the ball.

On offense, the lack of execution was evidenced by more turnovers, as Utah State finished the game with five and was minus-three in turnover margin.

Love threw a third interception in the second half, increasing his season total to 11, and fumbled as well.
A turnover on downs, after a nine-play, 79-yard drive that took the Aggies deep into BYU territory, didn’t help either."

Zach Wilson also outperformed Jordan as a junior that year although Wilson was just a sophomore playing against and defeating teams from the Power 5 conferences like Pac 12 (USC) and SEC (Tennessee) and giving Utah and Washington good games as well.

Jonathan: "Enhancing Rodgers’ arrival with high-draft pieces on top of an already talented roster makes that team Super Bowl contenders."

STR: Jonathan, do you mean that a Packer team that just completed THREE 13-3, 13-3, and 13-4 seasons and was 3-1 until Rodgers broke the thumb on his throwing hand and until the Packers lost several other starters to injury, several for the season, are not Super Bowl contenders?

Are you saying that Rodgers turns the Jets - who have not been to the playoffs since 2010 and were 2-14, 4-13, and 7-10 the last 3 seasons - into a Super Bowl contender?

If yes, this Aaron Rodgers must be a MIRACLE WORKER!

Rodgers certainly was with the Packers, where unlike any of the 31 other teams in the NFL the Packers did not spend a single first round draft choice from 2003 through 2022 on an offensive weapon (WR, RB or TE)!!!!

Are you saying the 2-14, 4-13, and 7-10 Jets are now - by adding Rodgers - more of a Super Bowl contender than a Packer team that just completed THREE 13-3, 13-3, and 13-4 seasons and was 3-1 until Rodgers broke the thumb on his throwing hand and the Packers lost several other starters to injury, several for the season?

Jonathan: "The Packers, on the other hand, would naturally like to take advantage of the Jets’ position in this year’s draft. They want to get as much help for Jordan Love as soon as possible. "

STR: Jonathan, as much help for Jordan Love as possible?

What was wrong with what the Packers had - future Hall of Famer Davante Adams (30) who left for less money with the Raiders because he obviously was being screwed with by Brian, Marquez Valdez Scantling (28) who saw what was going on with Brian, Alan Lazard (27) who saw what was going on with Brian, Randall Cobb (32), Robert Tonyan (28) and Mercedes Lewis (38)?

Jonathan: With Rodgers in the fold there’s no way the Jets are picking near the top of the draft next year. The mid-20s is best-case, and probably higher.

STR: Wow 25, BEST CASE, that means probably only 4 or 5 of 32 teams will finish better than the Rodgers led Jets!! And this year the Jets had 19 teams in front of them and all they have added in the post season is Green Bay's Lazard and maybe Rodgers.

Jonathan: But waiting has benefits. Financially, by trading Rodgers after June 1 (but before September), Green Bay eases his cap hit. Here’s how former agent Joel Corry describes it:

“The optimal time for the Packers to trade Rodgers salary cap wise is after June 1. By waiting until June 2, the bonus proration from Rodgers' 2024 through 2026 contract years wouldn't accelerate onto Green Bay's 2023 salary cap. It would be a 2024 cap charge… The Packers would free up $15.79 million of cap space. There would be $15,833,570 in dead money, a salary cap charge for a player no longer on a team's roster, from the bonus proration relating to Rodgers' 2023 contract year. There would be $24.48 million of dead money in 2024 from the 2024 through 2026 bonus proration."

STR: That $15.79 cap savings is relative to the $31.6 million cap hit the Packers take in 2023 if Aaron plays for the Packers in 2023, the 2023 cap savings is $24.3M if you compare the $40.1M 2023 cap hit if you trade Aaron after June 1, 2023 vs. the $15.8 cap hit with waiting until after June 1, 2023.

Jonathan: The Packers have done a lot in the off-season to pull themselves out of a dire cap situation, but this would make life even easier.

STR: Jonathan, the Packers already have the 4th most cap space of any of the 32 teams in the NFL both in terms of first 51 players ($22.6 million cap space) which is all the NFL requires until September, and including all Packer players under contract.

And that is including the playing $31.6 cap hit of Aaron Rodgers - one year removed from leading all 32 teams' starting QBS in passer rating, a composite of completion %, interception %, touchdowns per pass attempt, and yards per pass attempt, not once but 2 years in a row and one year removed form 2 consecutive MVPs as well!!

Packers Cap Space with first 51 players, which is all that matters until September 2023 compared with other teams:

Bears $38.3
Panthers $27.2
Lions $24.0
Packers $22.6
Texan $22.5

Least Cap Space:
Vikings $1.1

Packers also 4th most cap space in the NFL in terms of total players:

Bears $27.7 (64 players signed)
Panthers $19.0M (62 players signed)
Rams $13.4M (45 players signed)
Packers $12.6M (65 players signed)
Lions $8.7M (70 players signed)

Least Cap Space

Commanders -17.2 (75 players signed)

Google 2023 salary cap by team.

Try Over the Cap or Spotrac.

The idea that the Packers had a salary cap issue is PACKER MANAGEMENT PROPAGANDA and a PATENTED EXCUSE for the FACT THAT PACKER MANAGEMENT IS NOT ONLY ALIENATING PLAYERS FROM THE LEAGUE FOR PLAYING IN GREEN BAY, BUT LONG TIME PACKER VETERANS TOO - like Davante and MVS in 2022 and like Lazard and Tonyan who just walked away in 2023.

So the Packers have more cap space than 28 of the 32 teams and trading Rodgers after June 1, 2013 would just add another $15.8 in cap space relative to the Packers keeping Rodgers playing on the bench in 2023.
But what is the cap space for?

The Packers are not using it to sign valuable young (Davante, MVS, Tonyan Lazard, Reed) and older Packer veterans (Cobb, Lewis, Crosby)?

The Packers have blown their chance to use some of that $22.6 million - or $21.8 million if you prefer Over the Cap's numbers - to sign their own free agents - Tonyan (Bears 2023 cap hit $2.6 million) , Lazard (Jets 2023 cap hit $3.2 million), and Jarran Reed (Seahawks $3 million) or Cobb and Lewis who are both still unsigned and will each probably sign one year deals in the $2 to $2.5 million range.

And the Jets, who just signed Lazard two weeks ago have $9.8 in cap space for their first 51 players compared to the Packers $22.6 million for their first 51 players.

Jonathan: The bigger positive is the 2024 draft, which is quarterback rich. Despite all the optimism around
Jordan Love, there’s no certainty that he’ll be a top-end quarterback, let alone the team’s next franchise quarterback.

STR: Well for any fact based objective thinker that is certainly true regarding the future prospects for Jordan Love.

In all probability, based on all the data points,Jordan will not be a top end QB, let alone the team's franchise QB.

Jonathan: What’s critical for Green Bay is that it not get caught in endless mediocre-QB purgatory that has plagued teams like Washington, Detroit and post-Luck Indianapolis, to name a few.

STR: Well, "The Horse is already out of the Barn" on that one as they say. Packer Management has just let the longest tenured 18 year Packer, just 12 months removed from 2 consecutive Passer Rating titles - standing alone ABOVE ALL OTHER 31 QUARTERBACKS - and 2 time MVP go talk to the Jets about a trade, when they could have simply refused.

Jonathan: By amassing 2024 (and perhaps 2025) draft assets, the Packers put themselves in a position to get one of the good QB prospects next year if Love doesn’t pan out. They can, and should, maximize this strategy further by trading down a couple of times in the upcoming draft.

STR: "Amassing" 2024 (and perhaps 2025) draft assets?

What does "amassing" mean specifically - how many additional picks for 2024?

How specifically do the Packers do that?

Trade what down? The 15th pick in the first round? The 45th pick in the 2nd round?
What do you get for those a 2nd and a 4th and and 3rd and a 5th in 2024 or 2025, as for some reason you want to make is easier for the Jets in building their 2023 team?

Lower round picks in 2023 or 2024, either way it doesn't matter, Brian has so weakened the WR position and tight end position by letting 4 solid receivers (Adams, MVS, Lazard, and Cobb) and 2 solid tight ends (Tonyan and Lewis) go and done the same to the defensive line by letting Jarran Reed go.
How does Brian repair the damage he has done?

Brian Gutekunst will not be able to match the value returned for the monies paid for Tonyan (Bears 2023 cap hit $2.6 million) , Lazard (Jets 2023 cap hit $3.2 million), and Jarran Reed (Seahawks $3 million) or Cobb and Lewis who are both still unsigned and will each probably sign one year deals in the $2 to $2.5 million range with what is left in Free Agency or some later round draft choice.

Jonathan: Yes, this compromises Green Bay for the coming season, but it is hardly a tank job.
STR: IT SURE IS A TANK JOB!!.

Jonathan: This is how successful teams manage major transitions without long stretches of down years.
STR: Nonsense.

Brian, trading Rodgers over Brian's EMOTION, EGO AND JEALOUSY and then letting go of all players - young and old - that were particularly friendly with Rodgers - is DESTRUCTION of a 13-3, 13-3, 13-4 team that was 3-1 and heading toward another similar 13-3 or 13-4 season before injuries struck - even with the Brian's ALIENATION of Davante and MVS.

Jonathan: If Love turns out to be great, even better! Having a treasure chest of picks in the next couple of years sets the team up for deep runs for a good while. I’ll take that in exchange for not making the playoffs in 2023 every time.

STR: Jonathan, "TREASURE CHEST" with what?

Maybe a 2nd and 4th and 3rd and 5th picks - at best - that the Packers would trade down for with their 15th and 45th over all picks in 2023?

The Packers drafted 28 receivers between 2003 and 2022, only 2 of the 28 selected made multiple pro bowls and both of those were selected in the 2nd round, Jennings (2 pro bowls) and Davante (6 pro bowls) and Davante had much better catch %'s with Aaron throwing to him than Derek Carr. Jordy also made 1 pro bowl and Cobb 1 pro bowl.

The other 24 Receivers disappeared and you mostly have long forgotten them or not ever heard of them after draft day:

The Packers have drafted 28 WRs over the last 20 years:
Yr, rnd, pick

1) Carl Ford 2005, 7, 255
2) DeAndrews Rubin 2005, 7, 256
3) Craig Bragg 2005, 6, 195
4) Terrence Murphy 2005, 2, 58
5) Greg Jennings 2006, 2, 52
6) Cory Rodgers 2006, 4, 194
7) Will Blackmon WR/CB 2006, 4, 115
8) James Jones 2007, 3, 78
9) David Clowney 2007, 5, 157
10) Jordy Nelson 2008, 2, 36
11) Brett Swain 2008, 7, 217
12) Randall Cobb 2011, 2, 64
13) Charles Johnson 2013, 7, 2016
14 Kevin Dorsey 2013, 7, 224
15) Davante Adams 2014, 2, 53
16) Jared Abbbrederis 2014, 5, 176
17) Jeff Janis 2014, 7, 236
18) Ty Montgomery 2015, 3, 94
19) Trevor Davis 2016, 5, 165
20) DeAngelo Yancy 2017, 5, 175
21) Malachi Dupre 2017, 7, 247
22) J'Mon Moore 2018, 4, 133
23) Marquez Valdes-Scantling 2018, 5, 174
24) Equanimeous St. Brown 2018, 6, 207
25) Amari Rodgers 2021, 3, 85
26) Christian Watson 2022, 2, 34
27) Romeo Doubs 2022, 4, 132
28) Samori Toure 2022, 7, 258

None of the 22 drafted below the 2nd round made any pro bowls - ZERO - never mind 2 or more pro bowls or 4 or more pro bowls.

None of the 22 drafted below the 2nd round made any pro bowls - ZERO - never mind 2 or more pro bowls or 4 or more pro bowls.

And of the 6 wide receivers the Packers drafted in the 2nd round only Adams (6) made 4 or more pro bowls an only Jennings (2) - who the Packers screwed like 2002 1st round pick Javon Walker (who made the pro bowl and then tore his ACL after the Packer and Favre worked to screw him - for those that do not remember go back in history and read) - has made multiple (2 or more) pro bowls.

1 out of 28 Packer receivers - Davante Adams - picked in rounds 2 through 7 over 2003 through 2022 made the Pro Bowl more than 4 times (Davante 6 times. That is 3.57% for the Packers 28 2nd through 7th round receivers vs. 13.75% for the NFL's 80 first round picks.

2 out of 28 - Davante and Greg Jennings - made the Pro Bowl multiple times (2 or more times). That is 7.14% vs. 20% for the NFL's 80 first round picks.

So clearly the Packers drafting experience is consistent with the overall NFL draft data for the last 20 years .

And again - ZERO, NONE of the Packers 22 receivers picked after the 2nd round ever made the Pro Bowl AT ALL!!!

Based on 642 wide receivers drafted over the last 20 years 2003 through 2022:

You are nearly 6 times (5.92) more likely to draft a multiple time (2 or more times) pro bowl receiver in the 1st round– 20% chance - than in rounds 2 through 7 – 3.38% chance.

You are nearly more 10 times (9.82) likely to in a draft a receiver that will make the pro bowl 4 or more times in the first round - 13.75% chance - than in rounds 2 through 7 - 1.4% chance

Over the last 20 years - 2003 through 2022 - of the 80 first-round receivers, 16 (20%) have been selected to multiple Pro Bowls, including 11 (13.75%) with at least four. In the final six rounds, 562 receivers were drafted. Of that huge group, 19 (3.38%) have been selected to multiple Pro Bowls, including eight (1.4%) with at least four.”

The Packers experience over the past 20 yrs is very much in line with all other 31 NFL teams experience with wide receivers chosen in the 1st round and in rounds 2 thru 7.

Jonathan: The risk for the Packers is that the Jets walk away and trade for Ryan Tannehill, or tank with Wilson this year and grab one of the top prospects next year. But that risk exists now, given that there is no other market for Rodgers.

STR: That would be the BEST THING that could happen for the Packers as I have outlined before. THE JETS OFFERS EMBARASSINGLY LOW. There will be plenty of market for Rodgers both right before the draft and up until September and come next March 2024 too and the Packers should say thanks but no thanks to all.
Jonathan: With both teams having reasons to wait, it comes down to figuring out proper 2024-25 draft compensation, given the likelihood the Jets will pick much lower. I would not be surprised if this is a conversation Brian Gutekunst and Joe Douglas are having. Hopefully, someone finally blinks.

STR: Trading Rodgers and finalizing this foolish trade would require Brian being more emotion and jealousy driven and ignorant than he has been to date. That would be hard.

Listen to David Bakhtiari 4/7/23 Interview on Bussin' With The Boys Podcast w Taylor Lewan 3 X Pro Bowl tackle drafted 2014, 1st round, 11th overall pick & linebacker Will Compton

“The Packers are rebuilding, whether you think so or not, could they be good? I don’t know. Could they be bad? Probably if you’re betting more people are gonna think they’re gonna be bad than good, right? Isn’t that fair to say? So then they’ll be like, ‘Well, we’re gonna suck anyways. We want what we want, and we’re not gonna bend to anyone. So we’ll just eat it, stay unretired (Rodgers). We’ll pay you (Rodgers), we don’t care because If we’re gonna do it our way, it’s gonna be on our terms. If not, what are we gonna be, Super Bowl contenders anyway? So we’ll eat it, you (Rodgers) can hang on the side. We’ll pay you your (Rodgers) money, and then we’ll suck anyways, get the picks, as compared to dealing him for something that you (Brian Gutekunst, Packer GM) shouldn’t have, you (Gutekunst) could potentially look like an idiot to not only the President (Mark Murphy) and the Board but everyone else around the league thinking of the GM’s (Brian Gutekunst) perspective. Put yourself on the hotseat and then potentially have your job called into question”

The absence of an owner who would personally lose the $60 million Rodgers will be paid this year could make the outcome more palatable, since no one is actually losing the money — and given that the option bonus the Packers can exercise at any point between now and Week One will result in a much lower cap number for 2023.

Bakhtiari recognizes that the “keep Aaron and pay him to not play” is a third option worth at least watching, if the Jets draw a line in the sand that the Packers won’t cross.
Bakhtiari is correct.

Exercise Aaron's $58.3M option for 2025 before the September deadline, and let Jordan play as the starter this season.

In all probability, based on Jordan's leading all of college football in interceptions his last year of college and his few poor NFL appearances, Jordan will prove NOT to be the Packers future starter.
Meanwhile with Aaron as the 2023-24 backup, 2023-24 may still be able to be salvaged.
The Packers, come the May 1, 2023 deadline, certainly should not exercise their 5th year option on Jordan for $20 M and $20M of cap space hit for 2024.

THE GIANTS DID NOT EXERCISE THEIR 5TH YEAR OPTION ON DANIEL JONES LAST MAY AND JONES HAD 36 MORE STARTS THAN JORDAN LOVE AND JONES DID NOT LEAD ALL OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL IN NTERCEPTIONS THROWN IN ANY OF HIS 3 YEARS AS DUKE'S STARTER!!!

My understanding is that Green Bay has not allowed teams (other than the Jets) to talk with Rodgers about trade options. Why? If true this sounds really stupid. Why would anyone assume there is no interest from other teams? The Packers should allow all teams to talk with Rodgers about a trade. Then take the best offer after June 1st. Love needs help now.

No. Rip the bandaid off this year. If I have read accurately what has been cascaded regarding Rodgers cap hit, the hit is the same total dollars whether we eat the whole thing in 2023 or spread it out. On that basis I view the major reasons in favor of doing the trade now, before the draft, as follows:

1. Jets will likely be better in 2023 with Rodgers than they were in 2022, which means all 2024 picks would have less positional value and that a 2023 first would have more value than a 2024 first. I hope that Gutekunst is basing trade on a value chart, e.g. if we get this done in '23, we get X points worth of value and if in '24, we get the same points based on where you (the Jets) finish.
2. Love is likely gonna take some learning lumps in 2023. It seems to me then that staff will have a much better appreciation for what he does well and what he doesn't which would, in turn, give staff a much better appreciation for just what KIND of veteran WR/TE/RB to add that would complement what Love does well or compensate for what he doesn't. Combined with 1. above, having the cap space to move on the right kind of vet makes more sense in '24 than in '23
3. No one expects this team to be a contender this year or, perhaps, better said, no one with any sense of realism or genuine reflection will expect this team to be a contender. So better to get all he bad out now and get if off the books this year than to be hamstrung in '24.

No, no, no. Get 'er done in the next two weeks or let the Jets hang themselves. Douglas is going to look like a real idiot with fans and maybe lose his job if they don't get this done at all and I see no reason for the Pack to not push to get this done for immediate value.

No. Rip the bandaid off this year. If I have read accurately what has been cascaded regarding Rodgers cap hit, the hit is the same total dollars whether we eat the whole thing in 2023 or spread it out. On that basis I view the major reasons in favor of doing the trade now, before the draft, as follows:

1. Jets will likely be better in 2023 with Rodgers than they were in 2022, which means all 2024 picks would have less positional value and that a 2023 first would have more value than a 2024 first. I hope that Gutekunst is basing trade on a value chart, e.g. if we get this done in '23, we get X points worth of value and if in '24, we get the same points based on where you (the Jets) finish.
2. Love is likely gonna take some learning lumps in 2023. It seems to me then that staff will have a much better appreciation for what he does well and what he doesn't which would, in turn, give staff a much better appreciation for just what KIND of veteran WR/TE/RB to add that would complement what Love does well or compensate for what he doesn't. Combined with 1. above, having the cap space to move on the right kind of vet makes more sense in '24 than in '23
3. No one expects this team to be a contender this year or, perhaps, better said, no one with any sense of realism or genuine reflection will expect this team to be a contender. So better to get all he bad out now and get if off the books this year than to be hamstrung in '24.

No, no, no. Get 'er done in the next two weeks or let the Jets hang themselves. Douglas is going to look like a real idiot with fans and maybe lose his job if they don't get this done at all and I see no reason for the Pack to not push to get this done for immediate value.

The draft can’t come soon enough.

Packers should just tell the Jets forgetaboutit! They should tell Rodgers you can retire or bench sit as a backup number 3. First they lose nothing by doing it, they owe him the money anyways. Second, the Jets want the moon in a HOF guy and dont want to give anything up except a three pick> Screw that, you lose nothing dropping the deal for a lousy three pick.
Rodgers has bad mouthed the Packers and got his way for years, time to put a fork up his ass and show that you are in charge and he can screw himself.

Things we know:

- Rodgers’ 2023 Guaranteed Salary is just under $60M - from Overthecap.com
- It goes to $0 for the void years (2024, 2025, 2026) - from Overthecap.com

Things we’ve heard:

- Prior to talking with Rodgers, the Jets and Packers had agreed to a trade framework that included a 1st round pick
- Rodgers came out of his “darkness retreat” saying he wants to play, and he wants to meet with the Jets
- Jets talked in-person to Rodgers, at some length, and came away very positive about the opportunity to acquire him
- Jets would be on the hook for Rodgers’ $60M salary in 2023
- Later, Rodgers told McAfee that he was 90% likely to retire before going on his darkness retreat, but now he wants to be a Jet
- Jets no longer want to commit a 1st round draft pick, as they worry about giving to much away for a 1-year rental based on Rodgers’ McAfee comments
- Jets want some “insurance” if they don’t get more than 1 season out of Rodgers
- Mark Murphy has reportedly insisted to Gute that Rodgers’ trade deal nets the Packers at least a 1st round pick
- The Jets have reportedly refused a Packers offer that the Packers receive a 2023 2nd round pick, an unconditional 2024 1st round pick, and the Packers will provide back to the Jets some draft compensation if Rodgers doesn’t play for the [entire] 2024 season
- A reporter wrote that Rodgers has been privately telling the Jets he wants them to keep their 1st round pick, and they should wait until after the draft as he won’t show up until it’s mandatory [no surprise there]

I hate conspiracy theories but I’m wondering if Rodgers has been colluding with the Jets to reduce trade compensation to the Packers. Why would the Jets want Rodgers for anything more than an absolute fire-sale price if he was only a 1-year rental? Especially since they’d be on the hook for his $60M guaranteed salary. When the Jets and Rodgers talked face-to-face, did Rodgers give them a verbal commitment for multiple years AND an agreement to restructure his $60M salary to spread it over a couple of years? If I was the Jets owner and/or front office, I wouldn’t be excited unless those commitments were made. And, in spite of this, the Jets continue to hang on to the excuse that Rodgers might only play for one season and, therefore, it shouldn’t require a Jets 1st round pick. Rodgers also has a lot of incentive to help the Jets hang on to draft picks or delay trade compensation to the Packers.

At this point, I’m sure hoping the Packers hold strong in their negotiations, and if it’s not all nailed down already, I would like to see the Packers working with other suitors to make this happen in time for the draft.