When in doubt, blame Russ.
The Jets and Packers remain locked in a standoff surrounding Aaron Rodgers, but the reported trade compensation may be a bit clearer entering the weeks ahead of the NFL Draft.
According to Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson, the Packers are asking for a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 first-round pick for Rodgers, a price that the Jets seem unwilling to match. Instead, New York wants conditions added to the pick, and are seemingly unwilling to take something back in 2025 should Rodgers retire.
MORE: NFL Mock Draft 2023 — Complete seven-round edition for all 32 teams
There's a reason for the Jets' unwillingness to move that first round pick: Robinson says that Jets owner Woody Johnson doesn't want a situation unfolding similar to the Russell Wilson trade to the Broncos. He also adds that Johnson was a bit put off by Rodgers' "90-percent retired" comments, further complicating trade compensation.
The Seahawks traded Wilson for a pair of firsts and more and underperformed in a big way last season, something that the Jets are seemingly afraid of with a Rodgers situation. The Seahawks wound up with the No. 5 pick in this year's draft courtesy of Wilson and the Broncos' performance in 2022.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that "both sides appear to be dug in," with no communication shared in recent weeks. which is no surprise. The Jets likely want to protect themselves in the event that Rodgers decides to call it a career after the 2023 season, and giving up a first-round pick without any conditions is a risky proposition.
The Packers still have reason to move on from Rodgers. He will account for a $31 million cap hit, which is suboptimal for a player who; A.) No longer wants to play for the team and; B.) likely won't be the starter, given Green Bay's public devotion to starting Jordan Love.
MORE: When will Aaron Rodgers be traded to the Jets? Key dates to know
The soft deadline to get a deal done has long been reported to be the 2023 NFL Draft, but with a second-round pick seemingly firmly in the mix, a deal might have a tentative
If a deal doesn't get done, then the trade saga might drag into the summer. If Rodgers is traded post-June 1, the Packers will still incur cap charges, but the number that Rodgers is owed will be pushed over two seasons, as opposed to taking it all on this year.
Recently, Jets GM Joe Douglas made it pretty clear that Rodgers is "going to be here (in New York)," but it certainly feels as if the two sides are no closer to a deal than they were a month ago.