If Aaron Rodgers goes to the New York Jets, he reportedly wants to bring some of his friends along with him.
As the Rodgers saga continued to drag on Tuesday, ESPN’s Dianna Russini shared a new detail about the star quarterback’s negotiations with New York.
Sources told Russini that Rodgers gave the Jets “a wish list of free agents he would like them to target and acquire.”
Among those desired pickups are three of Rodgers’ Packers teammates (receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb and tight end Marcedes Lewis) as well as free agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who’s been linked to Green Bay in the past.
Lazard was Rodgers’ favorite target this past season (60 catches, 788 yards, six touchdowns) and is one of the top receivers available in a lean free agent class. Reports Tuesday morning indicated the Jets were working toward a deal with the 27-year-old.
Cobb and Lewis will be 33 and 39, respectively, when the 2023 season kicks off, and neither was especially productive in 2022. Lewis, known more for his blocking, caught just six passes, and Cobb hasn’t topped 450 receiving yards since 2019.
Beckham has Pro Bowl nods on his record, but he’s been out of football since last offseason after tearing his ACL in Super Bowl LVI. He held a free agent workout this past weekend that roughly a dozen NFL teams attended.
The Jets — who already boast a solid stable of skill players led by 2022 draftees Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall — brought in one of Rodgers’ former coworkers earlier this offseason when they hired Nathaniel Hackett as their new offensive coordinator. Their plan at QB seemingly hinges on their ability to acquire the future Hall of Famer to replace the much-maligned Zach Wilson.
New York has missed out on several starting-caliber passers while waiting for Rodgers to decide whether he wants to accept a trade from Green Bay or retire.
