Colin Cowherd of FOX Sports is in the group of those who doesn’t think the New York Jets should trade for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Last week, Rodgers announced on “The Pat McAfee Show” that he’ll be playing for the Jets. The four-time league MVP emphasized that the Jets and Packers just had to work out the trade compensation, but that still has yet to be finalized.
During Friday’s edition of his show (h/t Wil Leitner of FOX Sports), Cowherd suggested that the Jets should drop their plan to trade for Rodgers and instead shift their focus toward the 2024 NFL Draft:
“What happens if they don’t get Aaron Rodgers? I don’t think it’s the worst thing in the world. If you start Zach Wilson that’s a four-win team. That ain’t terrible. Let’s be honest, Aaron ain’t winning a Super Bowl with this team in the AFC. In the last four years with the Packers his playoff record is 2-3, and they have a good o-line, run-game , good structure, good head coach, and the NFC is lousy. You think you’re going to the AFC and winning?? NO, he’s a Band-Aid. Here’s where it gets interesting…
You keep your picks, you move off him, and you start Zach Wilson. Carolina, Houston, and the Colts should be bad this year, but they’re drafting quarterbacks (in this Draft). How many teams next year are going to need a quarterback and be bad? Atlanta and the Jets if Aaron Rodgers doesn’t come, and there’s two A++ prospects (Caleb Williams, Drake Maye). If the owner goes to Robert Saleh and their GM Joe Douglas, and would promise, extend them publicly for another year or two, if I was Saleh or Joe Douglas I’d be like ‘I’m done with the headaches, let’s not do a one-year Band-Aid with Aaron Rodgers. Let’s go long-term, let’s go into the tank.'”
Cowherd certainly makes some strong points as to why the Jets should wait until 2023. But Jets owner Woody Johnson gave his front office the green light to acquire a proven veteran quarterback if necessary, and there’s nothing to indicate that New York has moved away from its plan to land Rodgers.
The Jets have used several early-round selections over the years on quarterbacks. Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson (the team’s current QB1) did not pan out as expected in Gotham.
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New York signed one of Rodgers’ closest friends and teammates, wide receiver Allen Lazard, in free agency to a four-year deal worth $44 million. Throw in young stars in running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson, and the talent is simply there for A-Rod to go off with the Jets.
