Aaron Rodgers ‘is in talks with the Jets on a potential trade from the Packers’

Aaron Rodgers and his agent are continuing to have conversations with the New York Jets this week about a potential trade from the Green Bay Packers, sources have told ESPN.

Neither the Jets nor Rodgers’ agent immediately confirmed the report when contacted via email by DailyMail.com.

Rodgers, 39, has not made any career decisions since emerging from a four-day darkness retreat in the Oregon wilderness, where he was expected to contemplate his next move, be it retirement, forcing a trade, or another season in Green Bay.

It may seem like a leap to link his NFL future to a four-day excursion, but Rodgers previously credited a pair of off-season ayahuasca retreats for his MVP seasons in 2020 and 2021, saying the psychedelic tea he drank in Peru paved the way for his on-field success.

The Jets appear motivated to make a deal after missing out on free agent quarterback Derek Carr, who agreed to a four-year, $150 million contract with the New Orleans Saints on Monday. The former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback had been considered a viable option for the Jets, who are rumored to be interested in replacing struggling starter Zach Wilson with a more experienced veteran.

Aaron Rodgers and his agent are continuing to have conversations with the New York Jets this week about a potential trade from the Green Bay Packers, sources have told ESPN

Jets fans are hoping to improve on a 7-10 season following New York’s strong draft in 2022

The Packers would have to give their permission in order for Rodgers to deal directly with the Jets because he remains under contract in Green Bay, but that might not be an obstacle. The declining Packers fell to 8-9 last season, and appear in need of a rebuild that could be helped by trading Rodgers and his remaining salary.

Rodgers has $108.8 million remaining on his current contract, which runs through 2026, although that season and 2025 are considered ‘dummy’ years which are only on the books for salary cap purposes.

His deal is fully guaranteed for $59.5 million this season, most of which comes in the form of a bonus before the start of the regular season, according to ESPN.

But the Jets wouldn’t necessarily be hurting for cap space if they acquired him, because Rodgers’ bonus was prorated over his ongoing three-year contract. In total, he would count for $15.8 million against his team’s salary cap in 2023 and $32.5 million for 2024, according to ESPN.

The Packers, meanwhile, would still carry $40.3 million from Rodgers’ 2023 salary on their books in the event he does get traded. That’s a whopping 18 percent of the $224.8 million NFL salary cap for this year.

The Jets are coming off a 7-10 season, in which they boasted the fifth-ranked defense, as well as the offensive and defensive Rookies of the Year in receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner. 

The biggest areas of concern for coach Robert Saleh’s team were along the offensive line and at quarterback, where Zach Wilson finished 34th in the NFL with a dismal 72.8 quarterback rating. 

Fourth-year quarterback Mike White played well at times, but is also entering free agency and it’s unclear if he’ll return.  

The Jets are coming off a 7-10 season, in which they boasted the fifth-ranked defense, as well as the offensive and defensive Rookies of the Year in receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner. The biggest areas of concern for coach Robert Saleh’s team were along the offensive line and at quarterback, where Zach Wilson (right) finished 34th in the NFL with a dismal 72.8 quarterback rating. Fourth-year quarterback Mike White (left) played well at times, but is also entering free agency and it’s unclear if he’ll return