How Aaron Rodgers Trade Rumors Will Impact Jets, Packers in 2023 NFL Free Agency

While we don't quite know what the future holds for 39-year-old Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, there appear to be three options.

Either Rodgers will retire, tell Green Bay that he wants to come back for another year, or choose to play elsewhere. The third option could bring him to the New York Jets, and recent rumors suggest that a trade is all but ready to be executed.

If the buzz is accurate, then the proverbial ball is entirely in Rodgers' hands. The Jets and Packers are simply waiting for the four-time MVP to decide what he wants to do.

Rodgers recently told former NFL receiver Brandon Marshall that "it won't be long" before he makes a final decision:

Both the Jets and the Packers had better hope that Rodgers does indeed come to a speedy decision—if they are indeed only a few signatures away from completing a trade. That decision could heavily impact both franchises' options and goals in free agency.

The market will officially open at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, but the legal contact period begins at noon ET on Monday.

Rodgers might be Plan A for the Jets, but they need to have a Plan B on standby. That could be San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, though New York doesn't appear to be the only team potentially interested.

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported that the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders and Houston Texans were expected to show interest in Garoppolo. The Panthers are likely out of the mix after acquiring the No. 1 pick in April's draft from the Chicago Bears. However, any sort of significant market for Garoppolo could have him off the table for the Jets within the first few days of free agency.

If Rodgers' decision doesn't come quickly, other quarterback options—like Jacoby Brissett, Baker Mayfield, Gardner Minshew and New York's own Mike White—could be gone as well.

What about complementary moves New York could make in free agency? Bringing in one of Rodgers' Green Bay teammates, like tight end Robert Tonyan Jr. or wideout Allen Lazard, could make a lot of sense if Rodgers is coming to town, perhaps less sense if he is not.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Lazard is waiting to see where Rodgers lands, but he won't wait all offseason:

It's also worth noting that any trade for Rodgers could include a package of players as well as draft picks. Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner recently hinted that just sort of a package could be in place.

If New York has to give up key contributors to land Rodgers, they may want to start replacing them in free agency.

For the Packers, the impact is likely to be more financial in nature—Jordan Love will be the quarterback if Rodgers is out. The Packers are projected to have $24.8 million in cap space. That's a fair amount with which to enter free agency, and the Packers could use that money to re-sign or replace players like Tonyan and Lazard or address a run defense that ranked 28th in yards per carry allowed (5.0) last season.

However, if Green Bay trades Rodgers before June 1, it will trigger a $40.3 million dead-cap charge and cost them $8.7 million in additional cap space. That would take them down to roughly $16.1 million. That could mean one or two quality players are off the table for the Packers.

If the Jets and Packers agree to a trade that isn't executed until after June 1, Green Bay could save $24.5 million in the summer. That money wouldn't come off the books until June 2, at the earliest, but it could allow the Packers to dive into the post-draft free-agent pool.

Green Bay's priorities in free agency could also change, depending on which players and picks they get in return for Rodgers. Things could really change if the Jets decide to pivot to a different quarterback or if Rodgers decides that he doesn't want to play in New York.

The Packers could potentially be left scrambling to find a different trade partner, and if other signal-callers are flying off the board, that could become a tricky task.

The NFL world will be waiting to see what Rodgers decides because he remains one of the faces of the league. The Packers and Jets will be waiting because his decision will heavily impact the 2023 plans of both franchises, and not only at the quarterback position.

---

*Cap and contract information via Spotrac.