RODGERS WATCH: Packers' President Says General Managers 'Have Been Talking'
At least we know they are on speaking terms.
Green Bay Packers' President Mark Murphy answered questions from reporters on Tuesday, confirming that his general manager has been in communication with the New York Jets' front office regarding the potential trade of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
In a video posted to Twitter by ESPN's Rob Demovsky, Murphy can be heard saying, "I can't really get into that. I know Brian [Gutekunst] and [Jets' GM] Joe [Douglas] have been talking."
The tight-lipped answer came in response to the question, "Is the ball essentially in their [the Jets'] court?"
Murphy was presiding over a media scrum prior to the start of the Packers' annual Tailgate Tour through the state of Wisconsin.
"I do anticipate quite a few questions, and I anticipate saying that there is no update," said Murphy when asked if he expects to face more Rodgers-related questions during the bus tour.
News stemming from the Rodgers' trade negotiations has been nearly non-existent in recent days. While NFL insiders have speculated that a deal could be completed during Draft Week in Kansas City, there appears to be no hard deadline set between the two sides.
In the meantime, fans are left to argue over which team currently has the "upper hand" in the negotiation process.
The consensus in Draft Land is that Rodgers can be acquired in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick coupled with a conditional selection in 2024. The idea that Green Bay is demanding the Jets' first-round (No. 13 overall) pick as compensation is one theory that attempts to explain the apparent stalemate.
Rodgers has publicly stated his desire to play for the Jets in 2023 and his 18-year marriage with the Packers seems irreparable. He is guaranteed nearly $60 million from his employer this upcoming season and will count approximately $15.7 million against the team's salary cap allowance.
The Jets appear to be "all in" on acquiring Rodgers as a means of significantly upgrading their quarterbacks' room. The four-time NFL MVP accounted for a 64.6 completion percentage while throwing for 26 touchdowns to 12 interceptions last year.
Meanwhile, four Jets’ quarterbacks combined for a 56.98 completion percentage, 14 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in 2022.
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