Just because Lamar Jackson went public with a trade request doesn’t mean the New York Jets are going to deviate from their plan to acquire Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers. In fact, Jets general manager Joe Douglas said it would be wrong to pursue Jackson, even though the Rodgers trade talks are moving at a snail’s pace.
“It would be disingenuous and negotiating in bad faith if we went down that path,” Douglas said at the NFL annual league meetings Monday.
“Right now, we have our plan, we have our process and we're sticking to that.”
Joe Douglas says the Jets have not discussed pursuing Lamar Jackson:
"It would be disingenuous and negotiating in bad faith if we went down that path. Right now, we have our plan, we have our process and we're sticking to that." pic.twitter.com/6zmd3yNIjC
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) March 27, 2023
On the surface, Jackson’s trade request would seem to open up a second outstanding option for the Jets at quarterback and put pressure on the Packers to finalize a deal involving Rodgers. Douglas called the Baltimore Ravens QB a “fantastic player” but made it clear the Jets would not pursue him.
So, New York is all in on Rodgers. And there doesn’t appear to be a Plan B. The Packers are motivated to make a deal, too, since they plan to hand over the starting QB role to Jordan Love.
But yet it appears trade talks have stalled.
“There's been some productive conversations,” Douglas explained. “Obviously, we're not where we need to be yet. But feel like we're in a good place.”
"There's been some productive conversations. We're not where we need to be yet. Feel like we're in a good place."
Joe Douglas on the latest in the Aaron Rodgers trade negotiations: pic.twitter.com/jbCVxLljzk
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) March 27, 2023
Douglas added the Jets are in no rush to consummate a trade for Rodgers, the 39-year-old who’s a four-time NFL MVP.
The Jets are pursuing several high-level free agents
Earlier Monday, Jets coach Robert Saleh said he’s “not hitting the panic button” and is confident the Rodgers trade will happen. Saleh also squashed rumors of any Jets interest in running back Ezekiel Elliott. And the coach stated New York would not move on from edge rusher Carl Lawson for salary cap reasons.
Douglas did share that the Jets are interested in three free agents: wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr, center Ben Jones and defensive lineman Calais Campbell.
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