How will the Jets' salary space be affected if Aaron Rodgers signs with the Jets in 2023? Exploring the Aaron Rodgers-Jets contract situation

The New York Jets are freeing up salary cap space, presumably, to create room for a trade involving Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers' cap charge with the Packers in 2023 is more than $30 million, but if he is traded, the acquiring team would only be responsible for $15.79 million. Contrary to the common assumption, a Rodgers deal would have little impact on the Jets' cap position in 2023 or 2024.

Rodgers' cap hit for the acquiring team in the case of a trade would be only $15.79 million in 2023 and $32.54 million in 2024. The Jets didn't have enough salary cap room earlier in the week to sign veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but they now do.

According to Over the Cap, the Jets were still $1.78 million over the salary cap a few days ago. CJ Uzomah's deal has now been revised, producing $3.6 million in cap space.

Moreover, the Jets released Braxton Berrios, freeing up about $5 million in cap space, and restructured the contracts of Laken Tomlinson, DJ Reed, and Tyler Conklin, freeing up an additional $15.2 million.

Furthermore, the Jets just acquired safety Chuck Clark from the Baltimore Ravens in a deal, upping their 2023 salary cap by $2.4 million. According to some basic calculations, the Jets have just under $20 million in salary cap space, which is enough to trade for Rodgers.

Rodgers has a contract with the Packers until 2025 after he agreed to a three-year, $150 million deal in March 2022.

Is Aaron Rodgers going to retire before the 2023 NFL season begins?

Detroit Lions v Green Bay Packers

The four-time MVP has not stated what he will do in the 2023 NFL season. He might retire, wish to be dealt to the Jets, or stay with the Packers. Given that the Packers want to start Jordan Love in 2023, the third alternative appears doubtful.

ESPN's Adam Schefter mentioned on SportsCenter on March 3 that Rodgers will either retire or play for the Jets in 2023.

"My sense is there continues to be more and more signs about him leaving Green Bay. And I think, in the end, my sense is ultimately it will come down to whether he wants to play elsewhere, which would be really the New York Jets, or whether he wants to retire.

"To me, those are the two most logical options and the two most likely scenarios here. But again, we have not heard from Aaron Rodgers himself."

If he opted to play for the Jets, Aaron Rodgers would be the best quarterback the franchise has had in more than two decades. The franchise selected Zach Wilson as the second overall choice in the 2021 draft in the hopes that he would become their starting quarterback. Yet, he was eventually benched in favor of backup Mike White during the 2022 NFL season.

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In addition to being linked to Aaron Rodgers, the Jets met with Derek Carr before he signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the New Orleans Saints.