Packers GM breaks silence on Aaron Rodgers trade

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Aaron Rodgers is on the move after 18 years with the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers and the New York Jets finally agreed to a trade that saw multiple draft picks being swapped as well, according to multiple reports. The Packers reportedly received 2023 first-round, second round and sixth-round picks as well as a conditional 2024 second-round pick.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst explained how important the compensation was for the franchise as they begin to look toward the future and building around Jordan Love.

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Feb 28, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst during the NFL combine at the Indiana Convention Center. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

"Moving forward with compensation in this year's draft was important to us," Gutekunst said Monday, via ESPN.

The general manager is now dealt with the task of building the franchise back up after suffering their first losing season since 2018 and three straight NFC North titles from 2019 to 2021. Not to mention, Green Bay dealt Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders before last season and went from 10th in points scored and yards gained to 14th in points scored and 17th in yards gained.

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Nov 21, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) in action against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. (Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports)

"That’s part of the job, right?" he said of building a contender, via The Athletic. "Absolutely. That’s part of the job. Obviously, Aaron was entering a time in his career where he was going to be ending, and we had to be prepared for the future and get prepared to try to move forward. 

"Yeah, that’s part of the National Football League. Great players are going to come, and they’re going to go. You’ve got to be prepared to add good football players to your roster, so you can keep winning. This is the National Football League."

Gutekunst appeared to agree when asked whether those two moves were risky.

"There’s risk in the National Football League," he said. "I mean, we were 8-9 last year, so we’re trying to get better. You know what I mean? I think that’s important."

Rodgers won back-to-back MVPs in 2020 and 2021. He has won the award four times.

Even with the depleted offense in 2022 and battling through injuries, Rodgers had 3,695 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes. He had 12 interceptions on the year — only the third time he’s ever hit the double-digit mark in that category.

Dec 12, 2021; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) celebrates as he walks off the field following the game against the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. (Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)

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Rodgers now gets to sling the pill to Allen Lazard and the 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Garrett Wilson.