At Combine, One Clear Front-Runner Emerges for Rodgers

Nobody even knows if Aaron Rodgers would be available in a trade, but one team is definitely in and one team seems to be out.

INDIANAPOLIS – The Las Vegas Raiders appear to be out on Aaron Rodgers. The New York Jets?

“Obviously, we’re going to be exploring the veteran quarterback market this offseason and we’re going to look at every available option,” Jets general manager Joe Douglas said at the Scouting Combine. “We feel like when it’s time to make the right decision when everybody goes through their process, we’re going to make the best decision for the Jets.”

The future of Rodgers is one of the big stories of this year’s Scouting Combine. Will Rodgers decide to play in 2023? If he does, will he return to the Green Bay Packers for a 19th season or will he be traded?

If the drama ends in a trade, there’s only one logical suitor: the Jets.

With Douglas having assembled a strong roster – the Jets featured the Offensive Rookie of the Year with receiver Garrett Wilson, the Defensive Rookie of the Year with cornerback Sauce Gardner and a defense that finished fourth in the NFL in yards allowed and points allowed – they have everything in place to challenge for supremacy in the powerful AFC.

Other than the quarterback.

Thus, the Jets – from Douglas to coach Robert Saleh to owner Woody Johnson – have not hidden their desire to add a veteran quarterback.

There isn’t a more accomplished and more talented quarterback potentially available than Rodgers, the four-time MVP. The hiring of offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett would provide a friendly face to ease the transition.

The only established quarterback who is truly available at the moment is Derek Carr, who was released by the Raiders and is meeting with teams in Indianapolis. He visited the Jets last week and was going to meet with them again at the Combine on Wednesday.

“I can tell you that was a fantastic visit. Enjoyed spending time with him,” Douglas said. “He’s the only quarterback I can really shed any light on with you guys since he’s the only quarterback that’s a free agent. I can say that he left a strong impression with everybody.”

Even in a down year, Rodgers was statistically superior to Carr – and that’s with All-Pro receiver Davante Adams switching from the Rodgers-led Packers to the Carr-led Raiders.

The obvious upside in going with Carr would be compensation. Pulling Rodgers away from Green Bay would require a premium draft pick or picks. If Gutekunst’s asking price turns out to be a first-rounder, going with Carr would allow the Jets to keep the 13th pick of the draft.

“Obviously, that plays a big factor in terms of trades,” Douglas said. “I feel like we’ve tried to live by the mantra right player, right price and the compensation becomes a huge part in that price. When we’re looking to make a decision like this for the Jets, we’re going to try to do something that helps us both short term and long term.”

Meanwhile, barring an abrupt pivot, the Raiders are out. That point, delivered by general manager Dave Ziegler on a podcast last week, was driven home by coach Josh McDaniels at the Combine. Armed with the No. 7 pick, the Raiders will be looking to the draft – though perhaps not this draft – to find a long-term answer rather than a short-term solution.

“The goal for us eventually is to have somebody that’s going to be here for a long time,” McDaniels said. “You see the teams that are having success right now in our league – I would say in our conference and, specifically, in our division – they’re young players that were drafted by their clubs and they’re being developed there under the same continuity.

“Do I think you have to do that if you’re not sure or not sold on the player, and now you’re making a mistake, just to try to say that you’re solving a problem? I don’t think that’s really a smart decision. So, we’re going to do everything we can do to evaluate every player at that position, both in the draft and free agency, and try to do what we can do to improve the room. We’ll look at everything we can look at, but the goal eventually is to try to have a young player here, that’s going to be a Raider for a long time.”

Rodgers would have to sign off on any trade. He does not have a no-trade clause but he can essentially veto any trade by saying he’d rather retire. Presumably, Rodgers would want a chance to win, which would shorten the list of possibilities.

One team that could be a match is the Tennessee Titans. At the Combine, new general manager said of incumbent starter Ryan Tannehill: “He is under contract, and I am excited about moving forward with him and have a ton of respect for him.” The New England Patriots, given the mutual admiration between Rodgers and 71-year-old coach Bill Belichick, could emerge as a darkhorse contender.

Rodgers is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, the combination of the Adams trade, a change of offensive coordinators and a broken thumb impacting his performance. He’s 39 and will turn 40 late next season. The Packers have gone from all-in on Rodgers via a three-year, $150 million contract to “all options” being on the table.

“I’ve been doubted before,” Rodgers said during an appearance on Aubrey Marcus Podcast. “Honestly, I felt in the first year that Matt (LaFleur) was here, I felt at times like a game manager, like I didn’t quite understand what we were doing at times on offense. My job is to take care of the football and I did. I threw four interceptions and 26 touchdowns and we were 13-3, but I felt like there was so much more. Then they drafted my replacement and then I won MVP twice and I threw 85 touchdowns and nine interceptions in two years. …

“There’ll be plenty of inspiration down that road, but I have a great peace about it that I did not have without the darkness, so I’m really thankful for that experience and the stuff I worked through.”

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