It feels at this point as though it is Jets or bust for Aaron Rodgers, which is, in theory, a victory for the Jets.
After Packers CEO Mark Murphy’s comments this week, which used the past tense in reference to Rodgers in Green Bay, it’s fairly clear he will not be playing home games at Lambeau Field in 2023. And no one else besides the Jets seems to be in serious pursuit of Rodgers.
That could change, of course, should he spurn the organization.
As Rodgers decides between the Jets and the unknown at the speed of molasses, though, the Jets are at risk of missing out on every other opportunity that could present itself with the opening of free agency on Monday at noon.
The Jets are going to stay in a holding pattern until Rodgers decides, and understandably so. If they miss out on a potential target such as linebacker Tremaine Edwards to get him, then Joe Douglas and Co. will make that trade 10 times out of 10.
For all the potential distraction Rodgers would bring, for all the potential this would end in the same tears as Brett Favre’s stint with Gang Green, Rodgers is the kind of player worth waiting for. The Jets were a quarterback away from Super Bowl contention last season. Rodgers is the kind of quarterback who can give you a chance to win every Sunday.
The thought of Rodgers throwing to Garrett Wilson, with a top-five defense behind him, has Jets fans rightly swooning while Wilson and Sauce Gardner light cheeseheads on fire.
If he does come, it would be the most exciting Jets moment since … the 2010 AFC divisional victory over New England? Favre’s arrival? The ’98 AFC title game? Super Bowl III?
Take your pick.
But when Rodgers says he knows there’s a “time limit” on his decision and that it “won’t be long,” the rest of us should hear it with the understanding that it might mean something completely different to him than it does to the outside world. And the Jets will be beholden to whatever that is.
Ditto, by the way, for the Packers — much as they seem to want to be rid of Rodgers by now. They are, to a certain extent, frozen in place, even if a deal that sends Rodgers to New York is done in principle, until No. 12 himself actually agrees to go.
(The person for whom we have the most sympathy in this entire ridiculous situation, by the way, is Jordan Love, who did not ask for any of the absurdity to which he has been subjected since becoming the heir apparent to Rodgers three years ago next month. You would think Rodgers of all people might want to avoid putting someone in the same situation he himself was stuck in as Favre sat on his retirement decision 15 years ago, but apparently not).
Rodgers’ infamous darkness retreat was meant to give him clarity and does not seem to have done so.
The Jets’ brass flying across the country for a Malibu sitdown only resulted in optimistic noises.
Given that they are chasing after a quarterback with a stated interest in astrology, it feels like the Jets are doing an unusual amount of reading the stars themselves.
Like every other aspect of this pursuit, this is an area where the Jets have no choice but to grin and bear it.
They can hope Rodgers decides by Monday at noon, and we can keep trying to read whatever vague tea leaves come with his public statements.
As Jets fans know well, though, hope is rarely a winning strategy.
Today’s back page
Read more:
🏀 Julius Randle bounces back as Knicks hold off Lakers to end skid
🏀 SERBY: Rick Pitino sees ‘superstar’ in St. John’s prez as Iona has NCAA Tournament date with UConn
⛳ CANNIZZARO: Scottie Scheffler on top of golf world after dominant Players Championship win
🏈 Joe Schoen likely to prioritize Giants’ own free agents over outside options
🏀 VACCARO: Fairleigh Dickinson embracing First Four challenge amid unusual March Madness bid
⚾ Yankees’ Anthony Volpe stays red-hot in shortstop-battle push: ‘Wow’
Let the madness commence
The Selection Committee must have given each other knowing smiles upon drawing Iona with Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, a game that will take place in Albany no less.
There are rumors swirling around Gaels head coach Rick Pitino right now, and The Post’s Zach Braziller has reported there is mutual interest between St. John’s and the former national champion coach for the Red Storm’s vacancy. So pitting Pitino against a Big East foe, and doing so close to home, is a loaded decision as Iona seeks its first NCAA Tournament victory since 1980, which was later vacated.
Actually beating UConn — which is badly underseeded (No. 4 in the West region) according to KenPom’s rankings, which have the Huskies fourth in the country — is a big ask for Iona, but the story going in will be less on the game than Pitino.
It’s not exactly clear to us whether St. John’s would even be the best move for Pitino, who has the pedigree to land a higher-profile job should he want it. Pitino’s baggage probably disqualifies him from the Notre Dame opening, and if Texas’ interim head coach Rodney Terry makes a run at Texas, that job should belong to him.
But Texas Tech or Ole Miss — plus any other positions that might come open — are bigger jobs than St. John’s, particularly the former, and there’s no reason to think Pitino wouldn’t have a good chance to get either if he wanted them.
Of course, Pitino is from New York and perhaps there’s more allure to St. John’s for him because of that. He has experience in the old Big East, and it’s obvious at this point that the interest is real on both sides with St. John’s. But we do wonder about other options.
As for the other local angles to the NCAA Tournament:
Rutgers snubbed
The overwhelming message from the Committee to Rutgers, which was the second team out of the Tournament in a surprise snub: Schedule tougher non-conference games.
The Scarlet Knights had just one Quadrant 1 or 2 opponent on its non-conference slate, and suffered multiple Quad 3 losses to Nebraska, Minnesota and Temple. Their non-conference strength of schedule ranked 314 in the NET and 342nd on KenPom, which is not a new trend for the program. Last year, the KenPom rank was 354; the year before it was 294, and the year before that it was 309.
This despite the Big Ten having a yearly series that pits their teams against ACC opponents and another against Big East opponents to try and boost their team sheets.
No one is asking Rutgers to go play in Lawrence and Durham every year. But toughening up the non-conference slate a little bit is a must.
Tough draws for Fairleigh Dickinson and Princeton
It doesn’t seem likely that we’ll get another Saint Peter’s this year.
Princeton is in the field as a 15-seed after winning the Ivy League Tournament, but faces Arizona in the first round across the country in Sacramento. Fairleigh Dickinson will need to beat Texas Southern in Dayton on Wednesday to earn the right to play Purdue in a 1-16 game in Columbus, a few hours east of West Lafayette.
Nothing’s impossible in March. But these don’t look like great situations.
Coincidence or a trend?
Between Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, Frankie Montas and Carlos Rodon, there has been an unusual glut of injuries to local starting pitching talent before the season has started.
Sans Montas, it seems unlikely that any of those injuries have effects deep into the season, though there is the potential that Quintana’s situation will get worse, with an update set to come on his rib on Wednesday, according to general manager Billy Eppler.
So for now, this looks more like a bizarre coincidence than anything to worry about.
It will be interesting, though, on a league-wide basis, to see whether the pitch clock affects pitcher injuries.
Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen told The Post’s Joel Sherman he thinks there will be fewer injuries overall, since players will be standing on their feet for less time. Pitchers, though, are being asked to put the same stress on their arms in the same shortened time window.
Who knows whether or not that will matter in terms of injury wear and tear, but it will be something to keep an eye on as the effects of the clock start to become clear.
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