Packers Should Alter Jets Compensation From Aaron Rodgers Trade

The NFL is a business, and the Green Bay Packers have a significant stake in the outcome of the New York Jets season.

As you might know, the Packers traded Aaron Rodgers to the Jets during the offseason, receiving multiple draft picks in return, including a conditional first-round pick in 2024. The condition was straightforward: Rodgers needed to play 65 percent of the Jets’ offensive snaps. Unfortunately, Rodgers’s season was cut short after just four plays, and he won’t meet the 65 percent threshold. However, due to NFL rules, the Jets are still bound by the trade and can’t use either of the draft picks in another deal to bolster their roster.

This is where Packers’ general manager Brian Gutekunst should step in and extend a lifeline to the Jets. Since Green Bay is now guaranteed a second-round pick, they should leverage this opportunity to negotiate for more draft compensation. They can release their hold on the first-round pick in exchange for additional assets.

For a price, the Green Bay Packers should call up the New York Jets and offer to alter their compensation from the Aaron Rodgers trade.

The Jets are heavily invested in the 2023 season and are unlikely to stick with Zach Wilson as their underwhelming quarterback. They’ve already been actively searching for another quarterback in the NFL, but good options are scarce. Offering to release their first-rounder would significantly enhance their chances of acquiring a capable starter to sustain their championship aspirations this season. Heck, they could even use it to acquire an impact player at another position.

Following Rodgers’s injury, the Jets are currently tied with three other teams for the 15th-best odds to win the Super Bowl this season. Assuming this determines their draft position, they would have a second-round pick in the range of 46th to 49th overall, which is the pick that Green Bay would receive.

If the Jets want to use their first-rounder to acquire an impact player, the Packers should assume it will help them win the Super Bowl, dropping that second-rounder to 64th overall. Using the NFL Trade Value Chart, that drops the Packers’ pick from 440 points to 270, a net loss of 170 points.

To compensate for freeing up their first-rounder, the Packers should reasonably ask for their third-round pick. Again, assuming they win the Super Bowl and have the last selection, it would be worth 116 points according to the NFL Trade Value Chart. However, this still leaves a 54-point gap (170-116=54).

Therefore, they should also request an additional third-round pick from the Jets in the near future, recognizing the Packers’ flexibility. A third-round pick can range anywhere between 265 to 116 points, paying the Packers for their willingness to help out the Jets.

While asking for two third-round picks may seem steep, it’s a fair price, considering that Green Bay is providing the Jets with a valuable asset in their quest for immediate success. That’s a price most teams would be willing to pay for a legit chance at the Super Bowl.

Gutekunst shouldn’t sit back and wait for the Jets to determine what they will do. He should actively pursue a deal that adds even more draft compensation to his arsenal.