Aaron Rodgers Rumors: Day 2 of NFL Draft Is 'Soft Deadline' for Jets-Packers Trade

As the NFL offseason moves along without resolution on an Aaron Rodgers trade between the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets, a potential "soft deadline" is emerging for a deal to get done.

"The line of demarcation, the soft deadline, is next Friday night, picks 42 and 43," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on SportsCenter Thursday. "Because if picks 42 and 43 come and go without Aaron Rodgers being traded to the New York Jets, then the wait for him to become a Jet could go on for an awful long time."

If Rodgers isn't moved by the time the Jets make their picks in the first- and second-rounds—the team also holds the No. 13 overall pick—it almost assuredly means that 2023 draft-picks aren't going to be a part of the eventual trade package.

And if that's the case, it means the Packers wouldn't have much urgency to rush into a bad deal, since they likely would only be getting 2024 draft selections in the prospective trade.

Really, it's a game of leverage. If the Packers want immediate draft compensation, they may be more inclined to take a lesser trade package in exchange for bolstering the roster with 2023 draft additions.

If they aren't in a rush to add picks, however, they can hold out for the exact deal they want, knowing the closer negotiations get to training camp, the more pressure the Jets will be under to iron out a deal and get Rodgers introduced to his new teammates.

Holding a future Hall of Famer like Rodgers hostage wouldn't exactly be great public relations for the Packers, of course, and it's hard to imagine the organization is interested in heading into training camp without the situation resolved.

That would make for an awkward start to the Jordan Love era. Imagine the questions he'd face and the media circus in such a scenario.

So the waiting game would have repercussions for the Packers as well. But if the Jets are going to hit the ground running with Rodgers, getting him in as quickly as possible and familiar with his new teammates and receivers is crucial. That's where time is still more of a negotiating tool for Green Bay than it is for New York.

Adding a player like Rodgers means the Jets have their sights set on contending immediately. The last thing the team would want is to head into training camp without the quarterback situation resolved.

All of which is to say that a soft deadline for the second round of the upcoming NFL draft makes a lot of sense.