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Giants' Dave Gettleman on Aaron Rodgers Trade: 'We Believe in Daniel' Jones
April 30, 2021
New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman gave quarterback Daniel Jones a vote of confidence following the first round of the 2021 NFL draft on Thursday.
Gettleman was asked if he had inquired about potentially trading for disgruntled Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but he instead used it as an opportunity to reaffirm his incumbent quarterback:
Gettleman said he did not contact the Packers about a trade for Rodgers and noted that it would take a "motherload" to get him. Gettleman added, "We believe in Daniel."
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Thursday prior to the first round of the draft that Rodgers told some within the organization that he doesn't want to return to the Packers.
The Giants were identified as a team that could have interest in Rodgers given their quarterback situation, but Gettleman rebuffed the idea and brought up Rodgers' age (37) as a reason why he wouldn't want to part with a ton of assets in exchange for him.
While Gettleman's stance is logical to some degree, completing shutting down the idea of acquiring the reigning NFL MVP may not be music to the ears of Giants fans.
Rodgers enjoyed one of the greatest quarterback seasons in NFL history in 2020, completing 70.7 percent of his passes for 4,299 yards, 48 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He also led the Pack to a 13-3 record and a trip to the NFC Championship Game for the second consecutive season.
For his career, Rodgers is a nine-time Pro Bowler, three-time First Team All-Pro, three-time NFL MVP and one-time Super Bowl champion, making him a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Those types of players don't come available often, meaning it is always worth exploring, especially for a team that has huge question marks under center.
The Giants selected Jones with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft, and the results have been inconsistent thus far.
In 26 starts over two seasons, Jones is just 8-18, and he has completed 62.2 percent of his passes for 5,970 yards, 35 touchdowns and 22 interceptions, while rushing for 702 yards and three scores.
Jones showed some flashes of brilliance as a rookie but didn't take a step forward last season, throwing just 11 touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions.
The 2021 campaign could be a make-or-break season for Jones, especially since the Giants have two first-round picks in the 2022 NFL draft after making a trade with the Chicago Bears on Thursday.
Based on Gettleman's comments, he has every intention of giving Jones one last chance to stick rather than going after an established veteran like Rodgers.