Packers GM has strong comments for Aaron Rodgers
General manager Brian Gutekunst had the busiest Monday in football. Not only did he finalize a trade sending Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets, but he also held his pre-draft press conference just moments following news of the deal broke. Monday ushers in a new era in Green Bay. The Packers were fortunate enough […]
General manager Brian Gutekunst had the busiest Monday in football. Not only did he finalize a trade sending Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets, but he also held his pre-draft press conference just moments following news of the deal broke.
Monday ushers in a new era in Green Bay. The Packers were fortunate enough to transition from Brett Favre to Rodgers, meaning the team has spent the last 31 seasons with a Hall of Famer under center.
Momentum for a Rodgers trade had been building over the past few offseasons with the four-time MVP in a continuous state of discontent. Ultimately, Rodgers made his demands known this offseason by requesting a trade to the Jets.
Rodgers is a unique personality, and one of the most curious cases in all of professional sports. Dealing with all of that comes with Rodgers is no simple task for any general manager. With that being said, Gutekunst did a masterful job explaining how much Rodgers meant to Green Bay in his 18 seasons with the Packers.
"I have so much respect for Aaron and not only the person, but the player that he is and there's so much gratitude regarding what he's done for this organization," Gutekunst said. "Again, it would have been nice to have those conversations. But at the same time, over the last few years, I kind of understood that may not happen."
It's a difficult pill to swallow for Gutekunst. After all, trading a generational talent and future Hall of Famer is never easy. While it seems as if he wanted to do everything in his power to keep Rodgers in Green Bay, the 38-year-old superstar's mind was made up.
"So it's different and like I said, it will probably hit me a little bit at some other juncture when I don't have a lot on my plate. But I know this, he'll always be a Packer," Gutekunst continued. "And he will be one of the best that's ever done it around here. And I have a lot of respect, how he went about it and he'll be missed. I mean, there's no doubt about it. Players like that don't come around very often. But at the same time, we're really excited where we're headed and wish him nothing but the best."
All class from the Packers GM, who ironed out a fruitful haul in exchange for Rodgers. Here's a look at the trade details as ESPN's Adam Schefter initially reported.
Packers Receive:
- 2023 First-Round Pick (No. 13 overall)
- 2023 Second-Round Pick (No. 42)
- 2023 Sixth-Round Pick (No. 207)
- 2024 Conditional Second-Round Pick (Becomes first-round pick if Rodgers plays 65 percent of snaps)
Jets Receive:
- QB Aaron Rodgers
- 2023 First-Round Pick (No. 15 overall)
- 2023 Fifth-Round Pick (No. 170)
