When will the NY Jets trade for Aaron Rodgers become official?

The NY Jets are going to trade for Aaron Rodgers. Barring complete catastrophe, this isn't a matter of "if" as much as it's a matter of "when." It's going to happen. All parties involved know this.

That "when" question, though, continues to weigh in the minds of both organizations. We all know it's going to happen, but when?

How long are the Jets and Green Bay Packers willing to wait? How long can they drag this out before one side blinks? That remains unclear, although there are wide-ranging theories out there, ranging from early next week, to waiting until the summer to make it official.

We don't have a definitive timeline for when Rodgers will be traded, but there are a few landmark dates to keep in mind.

When will the NY Jets trade for Aaron Rodgers?

Lets's say the Packers and Jets continue to drag this out through the rest of March. Both sides are determined to enact any form of leverage they have to get the best deal possible. They're stubborn — they want to get the better of the exchange.

The first notable date is April 17th, the start of voluntary OTAs. If Rodgers still isn't traded by then, he could very well show up for Packers' OTAs and create a little chaos in Green Bay.

Having Rodgers in the building would be a sizable distraction to Jordan Love and the rest of the team, and it's likely something the organization wants to avoid. But what if they don't? What if they continue to drag it out?

The next deadline could be April 27th, aka the 2023 NFL Draft. I can't see the Packers dragging this trade out beyond this date. Green Bay wants 2023 capital as part of the trade.

The Jets would be more than happy to surrender only future picks in a Rodgers trade, especially given that Joe Douglas isn't guaranteed a job at this time next year. They're fine sacrificing future picks to save current capital. The Packers? Not so much.

I can't imagine the Packers would be willing to forgo receiving 2023 draft capital, especially if their intention is to receive the best compensation possible.

From the Jets' perspective, having this drag out beyond the draft would also be detrimental. They want him in the building as soon as possible.

Contrary to what has been reported and speculated, the Packers don't have an immense amount of leverage over the Jets, but neither do the Jets over the Packers.

Both sides need each other. Both sides are well aware that there is only one potential outcome to this situation. Both sides should be motivated to get a deal done as soon as possible.

The Jets and Packers will continue to wrestle with whatever leverage they have, but in the end, I don't expect this situation to drag out much longer. Here's to hoping we get a resolution by next week.