It’s time to admit that the Aaron Rodgers deal was a heist

If things never happen the way you think they do, then technically don’t they always happen the way you think they do? Is it deep?

Either way, the Aaron Rodgers era in New York has been far more dramatic off the field and far less productive on the field than even the most cynical of them. Jets fans feared. This might not be true because the most The cynical Jets fan is probably a really scary person, but you know what I mean.

We’re about 20 months removed from the trade that sent Rodgers Green Bay in New York, and with Ian Rapoport’s news that Rodgers is a “long shot” to return as New York’s quarterback in 2025, this trade can be considered more fully. Sure, some of the draft picks involved have become players who can still develop and grow, but for the most part, we know the results of this blockbuster. They look really good for Green Bay.

Jets fans, we’ll start with a positive here: Will McDonald IV is really good. The former Iowa State Cyclone was nabbed by New York with the first-round pick that Green Bay sent in the deal as a “sure, take it” sort of pick. In his second season, McDonald had 8 sacks and 2 forced fumbles, playing as a reliable presence on the edge for New York.

OK, sorry, I don’t have any more good news. Because the main thing in this trade – Rodgers himself – was a huge disappointment. It’s not partly his fault (we’re not going to blame someone for tearing his Achilles tendon), but when he returned this season, his play on the court and the unnecessary drama that What he brought into this locker room this season were some of the main culprits of the Jets’ tanking season.

Green Bay, meanwhile, is loving this trade almost two years later. Oddly enough, the best asset on paper – New York’s 2023 first-round pick (No. 13 overall) is not the pick that pays the most dividends for Green Bay. This pick was used on Lukas Van Ness, a defensive end who has been a backup for the Packers at this point in his career. At times this season, Van Ness has flashed the edge-rushing ability that made him a first-round pick last season, but his career production has been disappointing.

The second-round pick Green Bay obtained in last year’s draft was used on Luke Musgrave, a tight end from Pac-2 powerhouse Oregon State, who posted an extremely promising rookie season, to miss most of 2024 due to ankle surgery. Still, Musgrave is expected to return in 2025 as one of Jordan Love’s favorite targets.

Green Bay also got a second-round pick in the 2024 draft, which it actually traded (only dropping 4 spots, so we’ll still count it as the pick acquired from New York) for linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. from Texas A&M. He immediately made the difference for the Packers defense, demonstrating a versatility that defensive coordinators are fading.

Evan Williams, a safety from Oregon, also showed potential lockdown skills as a freshman. He was drafted with the 111th pick in this year’s draft, another one Green Bay received from New York.

Overall, this was a blowout win for Green Bay, and it could have gone down as the best (or worst, depending on who you ask) trade of all time if the Packers had drafted Will McDonald IV with this pick #13. the 2023 draft. So if you think about it, the Packers actually did the Jets a favor there.

But adding a tight end who can pass and block, a linebacker who can do it all, a safety who flies to the ball on every play, and taking Aaron Rodgers off your team is still a great trade, even if it could have been better.

New York is saved by McDonald’s production of an F in this business, but not by much; Rodgers has been a disaster and the Jets are now tasked with finding another franchise quarterback for 2025 and beyond.