100 Days of Mocks: The Rodgers Spin
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The New York Jets want Aaron Rodgers. That’s obvious. The Green Bay Packers are at least open to making it happen. That’s obvious, too.
Coming up with suitable draft compensation could be the challenge.
The Jets need a left tackle. Badly. At NFL Mock Draft Database, the three most-mocked players are Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson, Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones and Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski.
Sure enough, in a new mock draft by The 33rd Team’s scouts, the Jets took Johnson at No. 13. In a new mock draft by Pro Football Focus, the Jets selected Jones. In a new mock draft by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, the Jets went with Jones.
If Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst is demanding a first-round pick and the Jets are demanding to keep it so they can give their new quarterback critical blind-side protection, what’s the middle ground?
There are two potential solutions. One, the Packers could take the Jets’ first-round pick in 2024. That actually wouldn’t be a bad outcome, though the Jets presumably won’t be picking 13th in 2024 with Rodgers running the show. The 2024 draft should be better and the Packers wouldn’t have the additional first-rounder impacting this year’s tight salary cap.
Another solution would be getting enough picks that add up to a first-rounder. For instance, based on this trade value chart, the Jets’ 2023 second-round pick, their 2023 third-round pick and a late second-round pick in 2024 add up to the equivalent of a pick in the middle of the first round.
As for the aforementioned mocks, The 33rd Team sent Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid to the Packers.
“Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid has mismatch qualities at tight end and is a quarterback-friendly option for whoever is under center for the Packers in 2023,” the authors wrote.
In the PFF mock, Green Bay grabbed Iowa pass rusher Lukas Van Ness in the first round and Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer tumbled all the way to their slot in the second round.
In Brugler’s mock, he went with Alabama safety Brian Branch.
“Though many will be hung up on his lackluster 4.58 40 time, Branch was outstanding during the combine positional drills and ‘stellar’ in meetings, according to one NFL team source,” Brugler wrote. “He met with the Packers in Indianapolis, and his versatility would be a great fit in Green Bay’s scheme.”
At Barstool Sports, USC receiver Jordan Addison was the pick.
“Addison won the 2021 Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best receiver at Pitt before transferring to USC,” wrote Matt Fitzgerald. “Guess who won the Biletnikoff hardware the year before him? DeVonta Smith. He's overcome size concerns to thrive in the NFL. My guess is Addison will, too. He's a nice complement to Christian Watson and a welcome change-up to Green Bay's penchant for size guys at wide receiver.”
More Green Bay Packers Offseason News
What could Packers get from Jets for Rodgers?
Jets flying to meet Rodgers for ‘obvious reasons’
Aaron Jones on Rodgers trade rumors
100 Days of Mocks
Starting Jan. 17, when there were 100 days until the start of the NFL Draft, we started our mock-worthy goal of 100 mock drafts in 100 days. Here’s the 100-day-countdown series.
52 days: Post-Scouting Combine roundup
All-Packers seven-round mock draft 1.0
53 days: Tight end, receiver in new mocks
55 days: Kincaid and figure-skating safety
56 days: The dreaded third-round tight end
57 days: Three mocks, same tight end
58 days: Going the extra Myles
59 days: Safety, tight end, receiver in three-rounder
60 days: Two three-round mocks
62 days: Three mocks, three receivers
63 days: A massive haul for Rodgers
64 days: Three team-issued mock drafts
Packers take tight end in Daniel Jeremiah’s second mock
65 days: Pass-rushing defensive lineman in two-rounder
67 days: Three-rounder starts with receiver
68 days: Grandson of Glory Years legend
69 days: Mayer to Packers in SI mock
70 days: Football Outsiders picks pass rusher
71 days: 33rd Team trades Rodgers in two-rounder
71 days (bonus): Todd McShay 2.0
72 days: Packers take receiver to start NFL.com three-rounder
73 days: Packers fill big need with big man
74 days: Rodgers traded, take two pass-catchers in first round
75 days: Two NFL.com mocks, two different tight ends
76 days: Tight end and pass rusher in two-rounder by NFL Draft Bible
77 days: Rodgers traded to Raiders for No. 7 pick
78 days: A seven-round mock includes Big Ten playmakers
79 days: Rodgers traded in two-round mock
80 days: Packers take safety in ESPN mock
81 days: Aaron Rodgers traded in three-round mock
82 days: Seven mocks, including NFL.com
83 days: Two pass-catchers in first-round mocks
84 days: Aaron Rodgers traded for extra first-round pick
85 days: PFF picks a pass rusher
86 days: Tight end in NFL Draft Bible Mock
87 days: Packers trade back, get extra second-rounder
88 days: Sorry, vacation day.
89 days: A “Eureka!” moment in two-round mock
90 days: Playmaking cornerback at PFF
91 days: Three defensive backs in seven-round mock
92 days: Kiper takes a tight end
93 days: Safety first for Bucky Brooks in NFL.com mock
94 days: College Football News mocks Mayer
95 days: Two firsts if Rodgers is traded
96 days: NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah goes back to Georgia
97 days: This pick would break a long drought
