Aaron Rodgers makes Brian Gutekunst look like a yes principal

Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets won’t leave satisfied with Week 5 of their trip across the pond. Honestly, this is a recurring theme with Gang Green – they fail to live up to lofty expectations internally and externally.

When the Jets acquired Rodgers in April 2023, he was viewed as a franchise savior and the missing piece of a Super Bowl-contending squad. Unfortunately, it backfired, and Week 5 was a brutal reminder of just how far this team has lived up to expectations.

Meanwhile, the trade puts the Green Bay Packers and general manager Brian Gutekunst in a much better position to position themselves for sustained, long-term success. The organization transitioned from Rodgers to a talented young quarterback in Jordan Love and gained several valuable players/players.

With the benefit of hindsight, let’s look back at the exchange Rodgers sent to New York last offseason and see how both sides fared.

A year after the trade, we finally got the full results of Green Bay’s incoming package for Rodgers. Here’s what the transport looked like:

The Packers used the Jets’ draft picks and additional assets to trade up/down for starred selections

The Packers got a significant injection of youth by sending Rodgers. They signed two highly touted linebacker prospects: Lukas Van Ness and Edgerrin Cooper. Furthermore, Luke Musgrave is an intriguing tight end thanks to his unique combination of size, speed and athleticism.

But most importantly, the decision to part ways with Rodgers opened up a runway for Love under center. The latter quickly became known as one of the best passers in football.

New York lost 23-17 in the London League Games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to the Minnesota Vikings, dropping to 2-3. The Jets defense mostly kept pace, generating pressure and turnovers. Rodgers and the offense were an inferior, stagnant unit.

Rodgers has had consecutive poor performances and has arguably been the leader of New York’s skid. He turns 41 in December and after suffering an Achilles tendon injury, his struggles have been noteworthy. It makes you wonder if Father Time will catch up to the four-time NFL MVP. Moreover, the blockbuster trade the Jets had to make to acquire him continues to age poorly for them.

Alternatively, the future looks bright for Gutekunst, Love and the Packers. If things don’t change for the Jets (soon), this could be one of the more disappointing/uneven trades in recent memory.

Still, if you’re in New York, you’re making this trade again knowing how bad the quarterback situation was before Rodgers. But you don’t feel as good about it as you used to.