Aaron Rodgers’ injury means the Packers won’t get a first-round pick from Jets in next year’s draft
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ torn left Achilles tendon is costing his former team a chance at an extra first-round pick in next year’s draft.
That’s because the four-time MVP’s inability to play will cost the Green Bay Packers a first-round draft pick.
Part of the package the Jets used to acquire Rodgers included compensation in the 2024 draft. Under the terms of the deal, the Packers would get a 2024 first-round pick only if Rodgers played 65% of the Jets’ snaps during the 2023 season.
Now that Rodgers’ season is likely over, the Packers will get a second-round pick instead.
Rodgers had taken just his fourth regular-season snap for the Jets when he was brought down by Buffalo’s Leonard Floyd during New York’s 22-16 overtime victory over the Bills. An MRI on Tuesday confirmed Rodgers has a torn Achilles tendon, a person told The Associated Press while speaking on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t announced it.
In the trade that brought Rodgers and a 2023 fifth-round draft pick to the Jets, the Packers acquired a second-round pick (No. 42 overall) and a sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft as well as the conditional selection in 2024. The Packers and Jets also swapped 2023 first-round picks, with Green Bay selecting 13th overall and the Jets picking 15th.
Green Bay used the No. 13 pick on Iowa outside linebacker Lukas Van Ness, the second-round pick on Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave and the sixth-round selection on Auburn kicker Anders Carlson.
The Jets took Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald at No. 15 overall and used the fifth-round pick they got in the Rodgers trade to acquire a sixth-round pick and seventh-round selection from Las Vegas. The Jets then took LSU cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse with the sixth-round pick and Old Dominion tight end Zack Kuntz with the seventh-round pick.
This trade already has paid some early dividends for the Packers.
Van Ness had a sack, Musgrave caught three passes for 50 yards and Carlson kicked a 52-yard field goal in a season-opening 38-20 victory at Chicago. The Rodgers trade also created an opportunity for 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love, who threw for 245 yards and three touchdowns without an interception Sunday in his second career start.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) is tended to on the field during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Monday, Sept. 11, 2023, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)