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The New York Jets have reportedly "inquired about" quarterback Aaron Rodgers' "availability with the Green Bay Packers," sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Sunday (February 12).
The Jets have long been a frontrunner among teams linked to a potential trade for Rodgers amid his uncertainty regarding his NFL future.
"The New York #Jets have inquired about Aaron Rodgers’ availability with the Green Bay #Packers, per sources. A move that was expected as New York explores veteran options," Fowler tweeted.
Jets owner Woody Johnson acknowledged the team had a "weakness" at "the quarterback position," but wouldn't specifically address reports of the franchise's interest in acquiring Rodgers while speaking with ESPN's Dianna Russini on the red carpet of the annual NFL Honors event Thursday (February 9) night.
“The weakness right now is in the quarterback position,” Johnson said. “Whether it was management or whatever, everybody kind of regressed a little bit so what we’re gonna do is we are gonna look for an experienced quarterback to come in and help us and help develop these other young players.”
On Thursday, Packers president Mark Murphy also told Russini that the team expects quarterback Aaron Rodgers to make a decision about his NFL future "around [the] free agency [period]."
"There hasn't been a deadline," Murphy said. "We've both realized that the sooner the decision is made, the better. I know Brian Gutekunst, our GM, has been in regular contact with him and I think Aaron has expressed that he doesn't want to drag it out."
Last month, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter had previously reported that the Jets were "a very real scenario" in a possible trade for Rodgers prior to the team hiring offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who had previously coached the quarterback for three seasons from 2019 to 2021, which included Rodgers leading the NFL's top scoring offense during the first of two consecutive Associated Press Most Valuable Player award-winning seasons in 2020.
Rodgers announced that he's going on a four-day isolation and darkness retreat as he's "still in the art of contemplation about my future" during his weekly appearance on the Pat McAfee Show last Tuesday (February 7).
"It's going to be important to get through this week and to take my isolation retreat just to be able to contemplate all things my future and then make a decision I feel like is best for me moving forward in the highest interest of my happiness and then move forward," Rodgers said.
The three-time MVP specified that the retreat was "four nights of complete darkness" in a "little house" and that he has "a number of friends that have done it and had some profound experiences," which he had been contemplating doing for "a few years now."
On January 31, Rodgers addressed "conversations" regarding a potential trade centered around him during his last appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.
"It sounds like there's already conversations going on that aren't involving me, which is interesting...I'm not a part of those conversations right now," Rodgers said. "When I make up my mind one way or another then you guys and the Packers, not in that order, and everyone else will know at some point."
The Packers are also reportedly committed to finding a trade partner and had "their next plan ready to go" should Rodgers request a trade, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the Packers last offseason amid previous reports of being disgruntled with the franchise. The 39-year-old was coming off back-to-back MVP seasons ahead of the 2022 NFL season, which resulted in Green Bay missing the playoffs after clinching a postseason berth during the previous three consecutive seasons and 11 of the past 13 years.
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