The move that was announced on Tuesday but been expected since around March or February is finally official: Aaron Rodgers is now a member of the New York Jets.
On Wednesday at 2 pm ET, the Jets and the Green Bay Packers both announced that Rodgers has been traded to the Jets. The official trade confirms that the team will swap first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft among other pick swaps.
Officially, the Packers will receive the No. 13 overall pick, the No. 42 overall pick, and the No. 207 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft along with a conditional second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Jets will receive Rodgers, the No. 15 overall pick and the No. 170 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
It has been reported that Rodgers will not wear the No. 12 in New York, which was long-ago retired to honor Jets legend Joe Namath. He is expected to wear No. 8, his college number at Cal.
WE GOT HIM.@AaronRodgers12 is OFFICIALLY a member of the New York Jets.
📰 https://t.co/A5wWuEXqQS pic.twitter.com/41IPSHx4fG
— New York Jets (@nyjets) April 26, 2023
#Packers trade QB Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets https://t.co/8iZUN0qf92
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 26, 2023
The 2022 season was statistically one of the worst of Aaron Rodgers’ Hall of Fame career. He had his fewest passing yards per game since he became a starter and one of the highest interception totals of his career.
But in spite of how bad Rodgers was compared to his own career, his season still would have ranked among the best seasons for a Jets quarterback in franchise history.
Even at age 40 and coming off a down year, Rodgers is a clear upgrade over all other options the Jets have at quarterback right now. And with a team that’s coming off arguably its best season since 2015, there’s plenty of reason for optimism that they can at least be playing meaningful games in December and January again.
As for Green Bay, they’ll head into 2023 with Jordan Love as their new starting quarterback.
It’s a new era in New York – and in Green Bay.