Definitive timeline revealed for the NY Jets and Aaron Rodgers trade

Rumors continue to swirl around when the NY Jets and Green Bay Packers will be able to finalize an Aaron Rodgers trade.

The cynics and pessimists out there are concerned that this situation could drag into the summer if both teams continue to hold the line. However, that seems highly unlikely to happen.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer shared an optimistic report on Thursday, suggesting that a Rodgers trade "could happen as early as this week." Even if it doesn't, Breer insisted that it will "certainly get done before the draft."

This is the first definitive timeline to be reported thus far. Breer maintains the Jets and Packers are much closer in negotiations than many seem to believe, highlighting the friendly relationship between head coaches Robert Saleh and Matt LaFleur.

Breer also speculates what many have been saying for months, and that's that compensation for a Rodgers trade will look something like a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 conditional draft pick.

Either way, Breer pleaded with Jets fans to "have patience." It's going to happen.

Why the NY Jets will finalize an Aaron Rodgers trade before the draft

The draft has always seemed like the next logical deadline in the Rodgers saga. The Packers should be determined to acquire 2023 draft capital in any Rodgers deal for a number of reasons.

The first and most obvious reason is that assets are always valued more in the present. Future draft capital is valued less than current draft capital, so the Packers should want an extra year to utilize the assets they acquire.

On top of that, the assumption is that the Jets will be a better football team in 2023 with Rodgers at the helm. While they may pick at 13 and 43 this year, most would assume that the Jets will have later picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. That makes future draft capital even less valuable.

Some have pointed to April 17th as the next deadline in trade negotiations, as that date is the start of the Packers' offseason workout program. In theory, Rodgers could show up and stir the pot if he's not traded yet.

That seems unlikely, at least to me, given that Rodgers hasn't shown up for a Packers offseason program in years. Would he really show up this year, solely for the purpose of creating drama?

The 2023 NFL Draft is more of a hard deadline for both sides. Breer certainly believes it's a foregone conclusion that a Rodgers trade will become official before next month's draft.

It's a matter of when, not if, at this point. An Aaron Rodgers trade is going to happen, and it seems like it might happen sooner rather than later.