Robert Saleh: Aaron Rodgers’s interest shows how far Jets have come

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The Jets still haven’t landed quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The mere fact that they even have him on the line counts as progress.

That’s how Jets coach Robert Saleh characterized the situation in Sunday comments to Judy Battista of NFL Network.

“Two years ago when we first got there, just thinking about where we were and how far we’ve come, to have a guy like him want to play for us is pretty cool and shows how far we’ve come,” Saleh said.

He’s right, but they still don’t have Rodgers on the team. And even if (when) it happens, it’s a Band-Aid not a building block. The Jets will need a post-Rodgers strategy, if they hope to sustain things.

Still, that’s for next year or the year after. The NFL has become a one-season-at-a-time proposition. For the coming season, the Jets will be a bigger fish than they’ve been in years — if they can ever get Rodgers in the boat.

84 responses to “Robert Saleh: Aaron Rodgers’s interest shows how far Jets have come

  1. It means he wants to escape the hell hole that is Green Bay.

    To be fair, Green Bay also wants to be removed from their hell hole QB.

  2. … but the Jets’ cheapskatery in closing the deal show the Jets have not come far, if at all.

  3. Rodgers’ and the Jets’ mutual interest also shows how badly the Jets screwed up drafting that first round QB.

  4. Rodgers 39
    Josh 26
    Tua 25

    Yeah way to build for the future. Looks like a 1 yr band aid and a gimmick to sell season tickets.

  5. Its truly pathetic that the Jets can’t come to trade terms on their HoF QB acquisition. Get creative with compensation based on their success with Rodgers. This is 100% on Big Pharma Johnson and Joe Douglas. The Packers are not being greedy wanting a 1 and another pick.

  6. Any young player would be happy to no longer be forced to have to live in green bay. Fact

  7. Time for Saleh to wake up. Rodgers’ interests revolve around himself and nothing or no one else.

  8. As far as I can see it’s Rodgers only option other than retirement. If there was only one company willing to pay me, guess where I’m going. Like it or not.

  9. Now is the time for the Jets to come back to relevance. They have a decent roster and play in a soft division. Do it or go home, again!

  10. Aaron Rodgers does not look at NY the same way Saleh portrayed it – Rodgers doesn’t believe the Jets are THE team for a Superbowl run nor does he really care. He knows at this point NY is willing to sell their souls in taking on his enormous franchise restricting contract in exchange for more glitzy digs to wind down towards his inevitable retirement. And to add realistically, they have one shot at making any run -the 2023 season because after that they’ll have to cut their best players just to make an average talent roster for the near future.

  11. Brett Favre says hello.

    This guy is clueless. He couldn’t even beat NE last year with its rookie and bad OC.

  12. Jets definitely should not give a first round for a 1-2 year rental. As with Derek Carr the new team needs the high picks to build a better roster, especially an offensive line in the Jets case.

  13. The Jets are playing With fire. They should wrap this up before things go South, they don’t have a Plan B. Packers aren’t going to give Rodgers up for some lousy third or fourth pick, just forget about it. They would sooner give Aaron a call and say, hey look, we’ll pay you X dollars to retire, your legacy secured. And if Rodgers wants to play he can play another year for the Packers, millions of fans would be happy with that. Stop with the he can hold a clipboard while Jordan Love plays, that’s nonsense and everybody knows it. As for Love, he’s not going anywhere, he’s going to make $20 million dollars next year; if he plays well the Packers lock him up, nobody else is going to pay him that kind of money on his limited time. But the Jets are going to lowball themselves right out of a Hall of Fame QB and their best chance to win a Super Bowl in decades.

  14. cheeseisfattening says:
    March 26, 2023 at 2:51 pm
    Any young player would be happy to no longer be forced to have to live in green bay. Fact
    _______________________________

    Yes, because living in frigid, sub-zero temperatures that are far worse and longer in Minnesota, seems so much more appealing.

  15. longjohnpeter says:
    March 26, 2023 at 3:39 pm
    The Jets are playing With fire. They should wrap this up before things go South, they don’t have a Plan B. Packers aren’t going to give Rodgers up for some lousy third or fourth pick, just forget about it. They would sooner give Aaron a call and say, hey look, we’ll pay you X dollars to retire, your legacy secured. And if Rodgers wants to play he can play another year for the Packers, millions of fans would be happy with that. Stop with the he can hold a clipboard while Jordan Love plays, that’s nonsense and everybody knows it. As for Love, he’s not going anywhere, he’s going to make $20 million dollars next year; if he plays well the Packers lock him up, nobody else is going to pay him that kind of money on his limited time. But the Jets are going to lowball themselves right out of a Hall of Fame QB and their best chance to win a Super Bowl in decades.

    22Rate This

    ————–

    The Jets have zero chance of winning a SB. Blowing 1st rd picks constantly catches up to you. They lack talent at a lot of positions like CB, Safety, LB, OL, RB, and TE. They’re just not very good as we’ve seen for years.

    The NY media hype train likes to do this when a new GM comes in. They did with Tannenboob, Idzik, McCaggan and now this new snake oil salesman Woody Johnson hired, so Woody does the behing the scenes stuff and the NY media pumps up their gullible fanbase.

    Rodgers has absolutely no idea the dumpster fire he’d about to walk into there. Once he loses a game they choke down, the media will be all over him and he won’t know how to handle it. He controlled that GB media. He won’t be able to do it in smelly NY/NJ.

  16. By signing a 38 soon to be 39 year old prima donna who says he’s retiring every year and comes with a list of demands to hire his friends instead of character guys who will grow with the franchise rather than retire a year or two from now? You better hope you win it all this year. Otherwise 10 more years of losing with that ownership.

  17. Another point that’s seriously being overlooked & avoided by Jets fans is this : To sign Rodgers it will take multiple 1st & 2nd round picks or more PLUS the majority if not all of his huge guaranteed contract – all this for at best a 2 season rental. As said in the article above “it’s a Band-Aid not a building block” so where’s the picks & money for those gonna come from in the post-Rodgers future?

  18. Wait! Is Saleh joking, or is he delusional? The Jets drafted a QB with the overall #2 pick in the draft just two years ago, and they’re already looking to replace him? OMG. The Jets have actually regressed, if that’s even possible. By the way, when Saleh left the 49ers, their defense actually improved. The Jets are at an all time low point, and that’s rock bottom.

  19. Cheese is Fat continuing to live his best life posting on Packer stories. Truly hope everything is ok.

  20. Fans need to remind Saleh that the last time the Jets ARRIVED, was the 1968 Super Bowl winning season.

  21. There were much better options in free agency to make up for an epically and still shows where the Jets are, wasted, out of decades worth of them, in drafting Wilson. Douglas should be fired for the pick and Salah canned failing to coach (at least hire a competent staff to do it) and develop that QB. In taking a near 40 year old QB that looked very washed up last year (that cliff comes awfully quick for pro athletes) would say is not much of a gain for the franchise. Aaron if he chooses may have 1 or 2 years left as a average QB, the MVP level has aged out of him.

  22. Any young player would be happy to no longer be forced to have to live in green bay. Fact

    ——————————————————–

    El wrongo! Draftees are ecstatic to be drafted by the Packers!! Aaron will be the first one to tell you that!!

  23. The Jets will still be terrible even if Farve Jr. does play for them, They will stink like they have since 69 when they had Joe Willy Namath

  24. Well…..his current team doesn’t want him. The Jets are the only team that does. And he has like 100 million $$$$$ reasons to like the jets. But, sure, Rodgers loves the Jets.

  25. packmangamble says:
    March 26, 2023 at 4:30 pm
    Any young player would be happy to no longer be forced to have to live in green bay. Fact

    ——————————————————–

    El wrongo! Draftees are ecstatic to be drafted by the Packers!! Aaron will be the first one to tell you that!!
    /////
    Both of you guys are mostly wrong. First, these players are all looking to play anywhere and to be paid high dollars. And they certainly aren’t living in certain towns for half the year. And Rodgers being happy GB drafted him? Dude was just happy to get out of the green room, with any team. He’s never shown that he actually loves the city of Gb.

  26. bboyspaulrevere says:
    March 26, 2023 at 3:40 pm
    cheeseisfattening says:
    March 26, 2023 at 2:51 pm
    Any young player would be happy to no longer be forced to have to live in green bay. Fact
    _______________________________

    Yes, because living in frigid, sub-zero temperatures that are far worse and longer in Minnesota, seems so much more appealing.
    /////
    Stop it. The Twin Cities is absolutely better and more entertaining for a young person to live, particularly if that young person has money. That’s really not even debatable. Other cities could say weather over Minnesota, but Wisconsin can’t even claim that.

  27. They’re the only team who really wanted him. So it’s them or the Packers. Yes, Saleh, you did it!

  28. wardo says:
    March 26, 2023 at 2:13 pm

    It means he wants to escape the hell hole that is Green Bay.

    To be fair, Green Bay also wants to be removed from their hell hole QB.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Says the the guy that claimed his Raiders were NOT a garbage time team all season last year.

    Your wishful thinking will never bring Rodgers to your desert dumpster fire rudderless Raiders, LOL!

  29. Delusional. The Rodgers deal is far from being done. This deal could fall apart at any time making Saleh, Douglass, and owner Woody Johnson look like fools.

  30. I find it interesting that the current narrative is the Patriots are a trainwreck and the Jets and Dolphins are on the cusp of winning a ring. Last I checked the Patriots were the only one of the 3 to have positive net points last year. Also the Jets and Phins were a combined 1-9 in the last 5 weeks of the year. Not exactly a good sign regardless of the QB situation.

  31. It says a lot when your head coach considers “progress” to be a player merely considering to join your team. Smh

  32. Thy might be the only team willing to buy fool’s gold and put up with him.

  33. I like fans who don’t act entitled to free handouts of players from other teams just because they’re so inept a drafting and developing their own.

  34. Packers GM totally screwed this up, first signing Rodgers to that ridiculous contract, second, agreeing in principle to a deal, then balking. Third, saying the Packers are moving on from Rodgers before any deal was finalized. There is no other team vying for Rodgers services, Jets are the only one, Packers cannot have Rodgers contract on their books next year, never mind this year, Packers know it, the Jets know it. Trying to get multiple 1st or even 1 first rd pick is asinine. Packers are slow playing this till after June 1st where his signing bonus can be spread over 2 seasons. Even a second round pick is too much and GB knows it.

  35. Hold your horses. You haven’t even made the playoffs during your multi year tenure.

  36. This is why the Packers have all the leverage. WW3 in NY if they don’t get him.

  37. Imagine finally being able to move away from Wisconsin and your only choice is New Jersey

  38. charliecharger says:
    March 26, 2023 at 4:07 pm
    Wait! Is Saleh joking, or is he delusional? The Jets drafted a QB with the overall #2 pick in the draft just two years ago, and they’re already looking to replace him? OMG. The Jets have actually regressed, if that’s even possible. By the way, when Saleh left the 49ers, their defense actually improved. The Jets are at an all time low point, and that’s rock bottom.
    —————————————————————————————————————
    What is really sad is the Chargers are probably the most talented as they’ve ever been, right now, and they still stink. Look up choke and there is the Chargers, whether in San Diego or LA,

  39. wardo says:
    March 26, 2023 at 2:13 pm

    It means he wants to escape the hell hole that is Green Bay.
    _______

    Actually, if you just took the time to listen to all of Aaron Rodgers’ interview on his last appearance on the Pat McAfee show your opinion couldn’t be further from the truth.
    Despite the much overhyped admission that he would, in fact, join the Jets (Should a trade ever actually go down.), he spoke at length of his love and gratitude for the Packers organization, the city of Green Bay itself, as well as the fans and people of Wisconsin in general
    Even giving a couple of shoutouts to local businesses and their owners that he’ll miss after he’s gone.
    A very classy thing to do
    But Hey, you know, whatever…..I’m sure your narrative is just as valid. 🙄

  40. I was thrilled with the hiring of Saleh. Opening presser had me ready to run gassers…. I really, really want him to succeed, but I am becoming convinced that he is classic style over substance. Hope I am wrong.

  41. charliecharger says:
    March 26, 2023 at 4:07 pm

    Wait! Is Saleh joking, or is he delusional? The Jets drafted a QB with the overall #2 pick in the draft just two years ago, and they’re already looking to replace him?

    —————————————————————————————

    Saleh would be delusional if they weren’t looking to replace Wilson. Someone’s draft position 2 years ago is irrelevant.

  42. None of us have ever claimed Green Bay Wi to be ay sort of a Cultural Mecca. But we are friendly people in a safe clean community with good schools good police reasonably priced housing and an overall low cost of living.
    Many players appreciate that more than night life or regular live entertainment. Some have said it keeps them focused on the reason they’re here in the 1st place. It might not be your cup of tea,… but I can tell you that most visiting team fans love it here.

  43. mutantclover says:
    March 26, 2023 at 5:16 pm
    I find it interesting that the current narrative is the Patriots are a trainwreck and the Jets and Dolphins are on the cusp of winning a ring. Last I checked the Patriots were the only one of the 3 to have positive net points last year. Also the Jets and Phins were a combined 1-9 in the last 5 weeks of the year. Not exactly a good sign regardless of the QB situation.
    —————————————————-
    The Patriots were 1-6 against teams that went on to finish the season with a winning record. That’s not counting the Patriots loss to the worst team in the NFL, the Bears. The Patriots didn’t even score in 3 of the 4 quarters of that game. Enjoy your positive net points.

  44. If the Packers decline to trade Rodgers, he can show up to training camp and get paid. They owe what? 60 million? Rodgers sitting on the bench while Jordan Love plays? They get nothing while their bench gets warmed for eight figures.

    At least another year of building around Love, gone. Plus, Green Bay looks worse in the eyes of future players (Minnesota actually is better). A Green Bay tax becomes real, ask the Jets about that.

    Meanwhile, the Jets keep all their picks, become legit good with only a QB-starter away from a Super Bowl.

    Green Bay should want to trade him to New York for what the Jets will give them, period. Nothing else makes sense.

    It seems more and more Green Bay had a lucky streak with Favre/Rodgers and otherwise they look no better than the irrelevant team they were before that.

  45. charliecharger says:
    March 26, 2023 at 4:07 pm

    Wait! Is Saleh joking, or is he delusional? The Jets drafted a QB with the overall #2 pick in the draft just two years ago, and they’re already looking to replace him? OMG. The Jets have actually regressed, if that’s even possible. By the way, when Saleh left the 49ers, their defense actually improved. The Jets are at an all time low point, and that’s rock bottom.
    21
    14
    Rate This

    ————————————————————————————–

    21 out of 35 posters here give a thumbs up that the Jets are delusional that Zach Wilson needs to be replaced. Did any of you actually watch a Jets game last season?

  46. Personally, I think it sets the Jets back to ’08 when they signed Favre. Personally, I think ARodgers is an all time great, fruit loop, and older. He’s had leg issues which limited his mobility, and at his age, another one could finish him. Did anyone bother getting to know their other brat before they drafted him?

  47. cheeseisfattening says:
    March 26, 2023 at 2:51 pm
    Any young player would be happy to no longer be forced to have to live in green bay. Fact

    /////////////
    I think you mean Titletown. With 13 championships this makes perfect sense. How is it living in Loserville? Not even one yet, huh?

  48. The Packers have multiple plan B’s. Keep Rodgers and pay him his salary. Anyone who thinks packers cannot afford the $60M don’t know football. Wait until another QB goes down and then trade him. It happens every year. What is the Jets plan B? Play Wilson? Trade a couple 1st round draft picks to move up to get the 3rd best qb of this draft? Trade 2 1st round picks and offer Jackson $250M guaranteed for an injury prone qb that doesn’t fit your system? Point is that the Jets have no other viable option.

  49. Get the popcorn ready for draft weekend. Jets won’t even give GB what they want. Expect 49ers to make a draft day deal of their first plus more for a SB ring. Rodgers played the Jets perfectly when he emphasized the work “intention” twice during his interview.

  50. How far theyve come? Cause 39 yr old Aaron Rodgers has interest in them, and sense the Packers no longer want him he may be traded to the only team that has interest in him? Say it isnt so. Maybe if the Jets pull it off they can hang a banner to show how far theyve come.

  51. mischievous84 says:
    March 26, 2023 at 7:51 pm
    If the Packers decline to trade Rodgers, he can show up to training camp and get paid. They owe what? 60 million? Rodgers sitting on the bench while Jordan Love plays? They get nothing while their bench gets warmed for eight figures.

    It seems more and more Green Bay had a lucky streak with Favre/Rodgers and otherwise they look no better than the irrelevant team they were before that.
    ___________________

    The Packers get another season of a four time MVP if AR is not traded.

    The Packers have 13 NFL championships. They never have been and never will be irrelevant. Perhaps you do not realize that Lombardi, Starr, Lambeau, Hutson, and plethora of Hall of Famers were there before Favre and AR.

  52. Tony Awesome says:
    March 26, 2023 at 6:50 pm
    None of us have ever claimed Green Bay Wi to be ay sort of a Cultural Mecca. But we are friendly people in a safe clean community with good schools good police reasonably priced housing and an overall low cost of living.
    Many players appreciate that more than night life or regular live entertainment. Some have said it keeps them focused on the reason they’re here in the 1st place. It might not be your cup of tea,… but I can tell you that most visiting team fans love it here.
    _____________

    My son and I visited Green Bay two years ago for the Thanksgiving weekend game versus the Rams. The stadium and surrounding area is very modern and vibrant. The transportation to and from the stadium is quick and efficient. We obtained a nice hotel room in town for a little over a hundred dollars. There are plenty of great restaurants and things to do.

  53. bboyspaulrevere says:
    March 26, 2023 at 3:40 pm

    cheeseisfattening says:
    March 26, 2023 at 2:51 pm
    Any young player would be happy to no longer be forced to have to live in green bay. Fact
    _______________________________

    Yes, because living in frigid, sub-zero temperatures that are far worse and longer in Minnesota, seems so much more appealing.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    To be fair, the comparison is GB vs. Minneapolis, not ‘sconnie vs. Minnesota.

    And yes, for a young player, the Twin Cities outranks GB.

  54. Rodgers wants to collect his 50 million dollars. He would play for the Moscow Put Ins if they paid him. The Jets just happen to be the fools that will pay it in the NFL.

  55. If it’s considered one-season-at-a-time for the Jets, then the Packers are overdue for moving away from an eleven-year postseason loser. No animosity, thanks for the flowers, just go.

  56. cribbage12 says:
    March 26, 2023 at 8:47 pm
    cheeseisfattening says:
    March 26, 2023 at 2:51 pm
    Any young player would be happy to no longer be forced to have to live in green bay. Fact

    /////////////
    I think you mean Titletown. With 13 championships

    —————

    Nobody cares about “championships” won in 1929 when there were 4 teams in the league. Those are tantamount to valuing pre-season wins today.

    SBs are the measure…..and the Packers have a few…..but not what the Steelers or Pats have

  57. Can’t see this working out very well. Draft capital for a player threatening retirement each offseason. Dudes 39

  58. The Jets don’t own their own stadium. They don’t even own their own jet. So yeah, I guess maybe being Rodgers’ doormat for a year before he retires is a step up, so to speak.

  59. He’s right, but they still don’t have Rodgers on the team. And even if (when) it happens, it’s a Band-Aid not a building block. The Jets will need a post-Rodgers strategy, if they hope to sustain things.

    —————

    I feel like this comment brings attention to a huge fallacy in the NFL. This concept of a rebuild and then building toward a championship with pieces that stay in place for the duration of the run. That’s not reality for most teams. Most teams that do that never win squat. Yes, that’s the model that creates dynasties, but it requires a lot of luck too and it happens to 1 or 2 teams per decade out of 32. The rest falter.

    For example the Bengals and the Bills. Most people would say, they found their young QBs and they are ready for the future. However, they have one exactly zero Super Bowls since they got their QBs. In that time, since Allen got into the league, Brady won 2 Super Bowls (including 1 as a gun for hire), Mahomes won 2 and Stafford won 1 as a gun for hire.

    A great rebuild doesn’t necessarily mean you win Super Bowls.

    If you can get the parts in place to win now then that’s a good decision. If you can get 4 years of Rodgers like Denver did with Peyton that’s a huge win for a franchise. There’s more than one way to win in the NFL and getting free agent stars at the right time is a lot more likely way to win than trying to build a dynasty in the draft alone.

  60. SBs are the measure…..and the Packers have a few…..but not what the Steelers or Pats have
    ==========

    Most won’t argue with that at this point.

    But there isn’t anything to separate 1966 with 1969. There was only 1 extra game, no cross-league play until 1970 was the Merger was finalized. Lombardis teams 3-peated in that window. The way its looking, we aren’t likely to see that in our lifetime, if the 9ers and Patriots couldn’t do it.

  61. Any young player would be happy to no longer be forced to have to live in green bay. Fact
    =============

    Outside of the hundreds of guys that would be happy just to be on a roster…

  62. Can’t see this working out very well. Draft capital for a player threatening retirement each offseason. Dudes 39
    ==========

    This is the first season his future has been up in the air, outside of trade rumors.

  63. iejdaniel says:
    March 27, 2023 at 8:51 am
    To be fair, the comparison is GB vs. Minneapolis, not ‘sconnie vs. Minnesota.
    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    To be really fair, you’d be very lucky to find a single Viking player that actually lives in Minneapolis, and if you do it’s by accident.

    Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2022-2023……Green Bay, WI #3.

  64. How far you’ve come? Two top 3 picks in four years on QBs and now you’re locked in on overpaying for a mostly washed up egomaniac. I am a Pats fan and even I feel sorry for you Jets fans. Good luck!

  65. nhpats2011 says:
    March 27, 2023 at 9:31 am
    Nobody cares about “championships” won in 1929 when there were 4 teams in the league. Those are tantamount to valuing pre-season wins today.
    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    You’d better get a letter off to the Canadiens, Yankees, and Celtics suggesting they dismantle their trophy cases……because you said so.

  66. “Best places to Live in the U.S. 2022-23……” says the Green Bay fan that lives in the Twin Cities metro area. . . . . .

  67. Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2022-2023……Green Bay, WI #3.
    ===========

    A study based on affordable housing, and the job market… for families that hope to make $100k

    Not 20 year-old professional athletes, making 5-10x that, who want to hit the club most nights.

  68. purpleguy says:
    March 27, 2023 at 11:35 am
    “Best places to Live in the U.S. 2022-23……” says the Green Bay fan that lives in the Twin Cities metro area. . . . . .
    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    ……and not whine about it.

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