The Green Bay Packers, like everyone else in the football world, were keeping a close eye on the New York Jets this season. They traded future Hall of Famer, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, to New York this offseason in a blockbuster trade.
The former Packers star was expected to elevate the Jets to Super Bowl-contending status. Expectations and optimism were very high, but all of the air was left out of MetLife Stadium early on Monday night.
The Jets were hosting the Buffalo Bills in Rodgers’ debut with the team. That debut lasted all of four players before he was injured. Imaging on Tuesday revealed the Jets’ worst nightmare; Rodgers has suffered a torn left Achilles.
That means his season was done after only four plays. The team’s ceiling has been lowered exponentially with Zach Wilson, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, set to take over as the starter once again.
Rodgers’ injury is devastating for himself and the Jets. It will also have a lasting impact on the Packers because of the terms of their trade agreement. As a result of Rodgers’ season-ending injury, Green Bay won’t be receiving a first-round pick from the Jets in the 2024 NFL Draft.
New York was going to owe Green Bay their first-rounder had Rodgers played in 65 percent of the offensive snaps during the 2023 season. He didn’t play 65 percent of the team’s snaps in the first quarter, let alone the season, meaning a 2024 second-round pick will be sent to the Packers to complete the deal.
The final terms of the deal was a first-round swap in the 2023 NFL Draft, with the Packers also receiving a second-rounder, which turned into tight end Luke Musgrave and a sixth-rounder, which was used on kicker Anders Carlson. They will also receive the second-round pick in 2024, while the Jets received Rodgers and a 2023 fifth-rounder, which was traded.
