NY Jets need to get an Aaron Rodgers trade done by Monday

The NY Jets have waited patiently for a decision from Aaron Rodgers. They've been strung along for months as the future Hall of Fame quarterback deliberated on his NFL future.

It's an important decision, one that Rodgers doesn't nor shouldn't take lightly, but the NFL waits for no man — there is a strict timeline that both the Jets and Rodgers must adhere to.

The unofficial start to NFL free agency begins on Monday with the legal-tampering period. Both the Jets and Green Bay Packers have maintained that they expect a resolution prior to that date. Rodgers, himself, has even stressed that he understands the importance of making a decision before free agency.

Everyone involved knows that Monday is the soft deadline for not only a Rodgers decision but a trade to be finalized. We're less than two days from that deadline, and we still don't know any more than we knew a week ago.

Time is running out for the NY Jets to make an Aaron Rodgers trade

The potential ramifications of having this situation drag out into free agency are significant. The Jets won't know who their quarterback is — a dangerous scenario for any team exploring their options on the open market.

The most obvious ramification would be the possibility that they miss out on more fallback options. Jimmy Garoppolo is set to be a free agent, and most assume he's the most logical contingency plan left at this stage.

Garoppolo is expected to have a robust market, though. He's not going to wait around for the Jets to potentially jump in when he can sign with teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, Carolina Panthers, or Houston Texans — all of whom are rumored to be interested.

On top of that, not having a solidified quarterback would drastically affect the Jets' ability to recruit other free agents. Whereas having a QB like Rodgers on the roster would be a fantastic recruiting tool, having no starting QB at all would be disastrous.

If this drags on into next week, the Jets' entire free-agency plans get thrown out the window. They would be forced to start looking at other quarterback options while missing out on players who likely would have come to New York to play with Rodgers.

The Jets need Rodgers to make a decision this weekend. Quite frankly, the Packers need a decision as well. Even Rodgers stands to benefit from making a decision before free agency starts.

The time for waiting is over. The time for patience has passed. Everyone ivolved needs an answer.