Rich CiminiESPN staff writer2 minutes to read
FLOURHAM PARK, NJ — One of the most eventful weeks in New York Jets history began Monday with the swap of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Saturday ended with the last of seven draft picks. At a press conference to end the draft, coach Robert Salih was asked to describe the week, starting with the acquisition of Rodgers. Saleh leaned in without a word, wrapped his arms around General Manager Joe Douglas and hugged him.
Finally, Salih said with a smile, “It’s been a fun week, an interesting week.” “To bring Aaron here, it’s a blessing.
“We got a lot better this week – a lot better this week.”
Douglas negotiated the trade that brought a four-time MVP to the Jets, and it changed everything. After 12 consecutive seasons making the playoffs—the NFL’s longest active drought—the Jets are suddenly seen as a Super Bowl contender.
Rodgers still hasn’t trained with the team, aside from some light throwing late last week in the first phase of the off-season program, but he’s already made an impact behind the scenes, according to Saleh.
“We’re a really young team, especially on offense, and just to watch him and Nathaniel (Hackett) and the way they communicate together, he’s really shown his presence in terms of meetings, inputs, just discussions about all the different things that we’re trying to get done on offense,” Saleh said. He is an amazing human being, first of all, Aaron. Just listening to him, there are a few subtle things that I won’t get into, but he definitely cares about people and you can tell by the way he talks to people. So we’re really lucky to have him here.”
The Jets did not get any new weapons to Rodgers in the draft, as they used their first-round pick in Iowa State passer Will McDonald IV. They added a tackler in the fifth, Pete running back Israel Upanikanda, who rushed for 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns last season.
McDonald grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, admiring Rogers. Second-round pick Joe Tipman, a Wisconsin player, also followed Rodgers’ career. And soon he may be attracted to him.
“I mean, it’s a great feeling, especially knowing someone is as seasoned a veteran as he is,” Tippman said. “I just feel like there are so many opportunities for me to learn from him and it would be a dream to be able to play with him and those dreams come true.”
McDonald said he had been “scouting” Rodgers since 2008. The prospect of playing with a future Hall of Famer, he said, would be “a really cool opportunity.”
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