Jets GM: Aaron Rodgers Trade Talks with Packers Don't Have 'a Ton of Urgency'

Aaron Rodgers figures to eventually suit up for the New York Jets, but the AFC East team isn't rushing its trade negotiations with the Green Bay Packers.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas told reporters at the league's annual meeting that "there's no hard deadline" for a trade, adding, "there's not a ton of urgency from our standpoint right now. But still very optimistic."

The Rodgers situation is unlike any in recent NFL history.

He is still a member of the Packers but publicly said his plan is to play for the Jets during the upcoming season. New York hired former Green Bay offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to the same position and signed free-agent wide receiver Allen Lazard, who played with Rodgers in the NFC North.

The Jets are likely a quarterback away from realistically competing in the AFC, but the leverage game is a tricky one for both sides at this point.

Perhaps that is why Douglas maintained there is no urgency. Jets head coach Robert Saleh even said the team could wait until July's training camp to add Rodgers and still be fine.

Yet Douglas seemed to miss a chance to perhaps add some leverage to his side when he said, "it would be disingenuous and negotiating in bad faith if we went down that path" when asked about potentially looking into acquiring Lamar Jackson after the Baltimore Ravens quarterback revealed he requested a trade.

Even feigning interest in Jackson could have allowed the Jets to tell the Packers they are comfortable going a different direction than Rodgers if negotiations break down.

Green Bay doesn't exactly hold all the leverage either, though, as the breakup with the future Hall of Fame quarterback was fairly public this offseason. It surely wants to see if Jordan Love can be the franchise quarterback it envisions, and Rodgers has a salary-cap hit of $31.6 million and a dead cap hit of $99.8 million next season, per Spotrac.

While ESPN's Rich Cimini noted Green Bay wants New York's first-round pick in this year's draft, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst told reporters Monday that he doesn't necessarily need a first-round selection for Rodgers, only adding to the mystery and intrigue of the negotiations.