4 reasons the Nathaniel Hackett hire is a good thing for the NY Jets

1. The Aaron Rodgers factor

The Jets likely didn't hire Nathaniel Hackett with the expectation that they were going to trade for Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers wasn't on the market, the Jets very likely would have still hired Hackett.

That said, this move certainly doesn't hurt matters.

Rodgers trade rumors have been running rampant over the last week or so, and the team most heavily connected to said rumors has been the Jets. Now, after hiring Hackett, the Jets have shot up to -250 betting favorites to trade for Rodgers this offseason.

The connection is obvious. Rodgers has spoken glowingly of Hackett in the past, and the two were reportedly much closer in Green Bay than Rodgers ever was with Matt LaFleur.

Of course, it isn't hard to remember what happened last offseason. The Broncos hired Hackett, perhaps with the hope that he could convince Rodgers to come to Denver. Ultimately, Rodgers stayed put in Green Bay and the Broncos pivoted to Russell Wilson.

It feels different this offseason, though. Rodgers has heavily hinted at a departure from Green Bay, and the presence of Jordan Love complicates matters for the Packers.

There isn't the same sense of "run it back for one more year" amongst most Packers fans. The prevailing belief is that it would be best for the Packers to rip the band-aid off, let Love start, and begin the rebuild now instead of delaying the inevitable.

The Packers last offseason were in a very different position than they are now. They're much more likely to agree to trade Rodgers, as a result. And if he's being traded anywhere, no team makes more sense than the Jets.

The Hackett hire doesn't guarantee the Jets trade for Rodgers, but it certainly makes it more likely. That has to be seen as a good thing for a franchise desperate for quality quarterback play.