Jets GM Joe Douglas: 'There's a lot of things to be excited for' after Aaron Rodgers trade
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The Jets’ football operations staff was in a meeting Monday afternoon when general manager Joe Douglas agreed to the trade for Aaron Rodgers. Joy and excitement filled the room as coaches and scouts hugged and high-fived each other.
Douglas had been discussing trade scenarios on and off with Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst for more than a month. The deal is not official, but Douglas said it was “a long time in the making” and called it “a historic trade for this franchise.”
The Jets went from missing the playoffs last season — and for the 12th consecutive year — to instant Super Bowl contender with the acquisition of Rodgers, a four-time MVP.
“There’s going to be excitement,” Douglas said Tuesday afternoon at the Jets' training facility. “There’s a lot of things to be excited for with adding Aaron and some of the other pieces that we’ve added this offseason.
“There’s not going to be any crazy statements or anything like that. I guarantee that there’s going to be a bunch of players that are going to come in, become unified and rewrite how the story ended last year and make sure that we’re not in the position again.”
Rodgers, 39, flew into the area Tuesday for his physical. The Jets will hold an introductory news conference for Rodgers on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
The Jets are getting Rodgers and picks 15 and 170 from Green Bay. The Packers will receive picks 13, 42 and 207 in this draft and a conditional second-round pick next year that becomes a first if Rodgers plays 65% of the offensive snaps this year. The Jets hope that he does.
Douglas wouldn’t say whether Rodgers committed to playing more than one year with the Jets. It would seem he has by what Douglas gave up for him. Douglas said the first-round pick swap this year was one of the last things they agreed to in the deal
“We’re comfortable with how this deal’s shaped,” Douglas said. “I don’t think anyone ever walks away from any negotiation where you feel like you won everything in terms of going back and forth. Ultimately our goal from the beginning was to add Aaron to the team.”
One of the things that needs to be reworked is Rodgers’ contract. He is owed $59.6 million this season. Rodgers could restructure his deal so it’s more cap friendly for the Jets. Douglas described his conversations with Rodgers’ agent about his contract as “positive.”
The Jets have been all-in on Rodgers since a contingent of team officials flew to California to meet with him in early March. Rodgers said he decided less than a week later that he wanted to play for the Jets. Once the Jets learned that, there was never a Plan B at quarterback.
“Aaron is one of the best quarterbacks to ever play this game,” Douglas said. “To have an opportunity to add a player of that caliber, you’re always going to look into it and how it fits within our culture, within our team . . . We’re all excited to add someone of his caliber and his ability.”
Rodgers is coming off a down year for him. He threw 26 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions, but he played most of the season with a broken thumb on his throwing hand. Rodgers was NFL MVP the previous two seasons.
The Jets are banking on a motivated and hungry Rodgers returning to that form — one Jets assistant general manager Rex Hogan witnessed plenty during his time in the Bears front office.
“The guy has obviously great presence and arm talent,” Hogan said. “His decision making, his timing and his accuracy as a passer has proven itself over the 18 years. You’re looking at a guy who’s been able to perform at a high level and raise expectations for [Green Bay] and carry on what [Brett] Favre did. He’s going to raise our expectations moving forward, too.”
The Jets have some talented young players who will benefit from playing with Rodgers, particularly second-year receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall. Douglas expects everyone’s game to be raised with Rodgers leading this team.
“Anytime you add a player of Aaron’s caliber, it’s going to raise the level of everyone,” he said. “There’s going to be a standard that needs to be met. I feel like from the beginning when it started hitting the internet . . . I think everybody, their antenna went up, the intent, the focus.
“I think everybody is going to answer the bell when it comes to meeting that standard. It’s going to be great to have these first, second and third-year players around Aaron.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
