For Jets and Packers: Only Aaron Rodgers has Leverage

The Packers Argument

For the Green Bay Packers, most who think the Packers have the leverage are quick to point out that the Packers don"t necessarily need the return for Rodgers while the Jets absolutely need a quarterback. And to an extent, they are correct…until you start diving deeper into the roster.

This year, it"s not secret that the team is planning on starting former first round pick Jordan Love at the quarterback position. The Packers will want to figure out as quickly as possible if Love is the future franchise quarterback, and the best way of doing that is by surrounding the player with a quality roster to help him develop.

When looking at the Packers offense, they have a really good offensive line, two good running backs and two promising but young wide receivers. While the front end talent is probably above average, the team doesn"t have much depth at the receiver position behind Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.

Getting draft picks back for Rodgers, and clearing his hefty salary cap figure, would certainly help the team round out the roster behind Love. Furthermore, not having Aaron Rodgers drama overshadow their young quarterback certainly won"t hurt his self-esteem.

The Jets Argument

For the Jets, the biggest benefit in their quest of finding leverage is Aaron Rodgers publicly stating that he “intends" to play for the New York Jets this upcoming season. Since that moment on the Pat McAfee Show, the Jets have been connected to every Aaron Rodgers buddy and have signed Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb to help seal the deal.

Now, the Jets have been acting like Rodgers is their quarterback with General Manager Joe Douglas going out of his way to say that Rodgers will be a Jet in a recent appearance.

While that certainly helps the Jets argument, at the end of the day, Aaron Rodgers is still a member of the Green Bay Packers. If Green Bay decides to go the path of mutual destruction, they could simply hold on to Rodgers at the detriment to both organizations if they feel the Jets are not giving them a reasonable offer.

Furthermore, the Jets don"t have much of a fallback option with the only two quarterbacks currently on the roster are Zach Wilson, veteran (and Rodgers buddy) Tim Boyle and gadget QB Chris Streveler. With most other free agent quarterbacks signing elsewhere, the Jets are likely Rodgers or bust.

Rodgers Leverage

While the two teams battle over compensation, the one person who really holds all of the cards is Aaron Rodgers. At any point, Rodgers can “intend" to play for another franchise, and in-doing so severely impacting the Jets. For example, is San Francisco suddenly becomes an option for Rodgers, the Jets will have to scramble to find a new quarterback option.

Meanwhile, if Rodgers remains a Packer into the start of training camp, he can simply start showing up and cause drama in Green Bay. As long as he"s under contract, Rodgers is contractually protected to practice and Green Bay can"t keep him away from the organization.

If Rodgers does show up, it will not only create additional headaches for the coaching staff but will also add pressure to Love, as he prepares for his first season as a starter. Furthermore, if Rodgers were to sustain an injury at practice, Green Bay would be on the hook for his nearly $60 million salary.

Finally, while practicing with Green Bay, nothing prohibits Rodgers from throwing with other wide receivers in his free time, regardless of where they are signed to play. This off-season, he and Lazard have already been seen playing catch with one another and nothing can stop the Jets wide receivers from flying to Wisconsin to run routes with Rodgers.

Looking Forward

With the NFL Draft right around the corner, a deal is likely to happen by the second day of the draft. Green Bay likely won"t get a first round pick this year for Rodgers and probably will want to add talent to their roster to compete in a weak NFC in 2023.

If the two sides get to the point where they won"t budge, the only person who can save the situation for either side, is Aaron Rodgers.

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