Aaron Rodgers WILL have his trade request granted if he makes one, says Packers president

The Packers will not stand in Aaron Rodgers' way if the quarterback requests a trade this offseason, the team's president and CEO Mark Murphy confirmed Friday.

Rodgers' future has been a source of massive speculation this offseason, with he and the Packers appearing to edge towards an exit after 18 seasons.

And after the Jets were granted permission to speak with the 39-year-old this week, Murphy indicated Friday that both Rodgers and Green Bay could be ready to move on from each other.

'It's a situation where I think we wanted to help Aaron achieve what he wanted, as well as the Packers,' he told WBAY. 'Hopefully it'll create a situation where it's a win for both sides.'

While Murphy noted that discussions were still ongoing, he spoke about Rodgers' Green Bay career in the past tense. 

'Very few players play for only one team. Brett [Favre] had a great career here. Aaron had a great career here,' he said.

The New York Jets brass think they're on the brink of acquiring four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, according to ESPN's Dianna Russini

Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy spoke about Rodgers' Green Bay career in the past tense

'Regardless of what happens, Aaron will be in the Pro Football HOF, he'll be in our hall of fame, and we'll bring him back and retire his number.'

Rodgers met with Jets owner Woody Johnson and the team's front office staff in his native California this week, and New York emerged confident from the meeting that they could land the four-time MVP. 

According to ESPN's Dianna Russini, Jets brass believed they were 'on the brink' of landing Rodgers as of Thursday.

Rodgers has not made any career decisions since emerging from a four-day darkness retreat in the Oregon wilderness, where he was expected to contemplate his next move, be it retirement, forcing a trade, or another season in Green Bay.

The Jets appear motivated to make a deal after missing out on free agent quarterback Derek Carr, who agreed to a four-year, $150 million contract with the New Orleans Saints on Monday. The former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback had been considered a viable option for the Jets, who are rumored to be interested in replacing struggling starter Zach Wilson with a more experienced veteran.

Meanwhile, Jets players have seemingly forgotten all about Wilson as they took to social media to beg Rodgers to come to New York. 

Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and running back Breece Hall didn't make the trip out west, but they did make their sales pitches on social media. 

Gardner directly mentioned Rodgers on Twitter, telling him: 'I promise if you become a Jet, I won't pick you off in practice' and promising to burn the cheesehead hat that he wore in Green Bay last season when the Jets caused a 27-10 upset of the Packers at Lambeau Field.

Hall, similarly, sounded excited at the prospect of playing with Rodgers. 

Sauce Gardner has publicly campaigned for Rodgers to join the Jets this offseason 

'Don't mind me...Just manifesting @Aaron Rodgers,' the 21-year-old running back tweeted. 

Rodgers has $108.8 million remaining on his current contract, which runs through 2026, although that season and 2025 are considered 'dummy' years which are only on the books for salary cap purposes.

His deal is fully guaranteed for $59.5 million this season, most of which comes in the form of a bonus before the start of the regular season, according to ESPN.

But the Jets wouldn't necessarily be hurting for cap space if they acquired him, because Rodgers' bonus was prorated over his ongoing three-year contract. In total, he would count for $15.8 million against his team's salary cap in 2023 and $32.5 million for 2024, according to ESPN.

The Packers, meanwhile, would still carry $40.3 million from Rodgers' 2023 salary on their books in the event he does get traded. That's a whopping 18 percent of the $224.8 million NFL salary cap for this year.