The Jets are hoping Aaron Rodgers helps rewrite their story after disappointing finish to 2022

The Jets finished last season on a sixth-game losing streak.

That downward slide to a 7-10 season led to a significant seismic shift within the organization this season.

After Gang Green started Zach Wilson at quarterback the last two seasons, the Jets and the Packers agreed on a blockbuster trade that would send Aaron Rodgers to New York.

In return, the Packers will receive the Jets’ No. 13, a 2023 2nd-rd pick (No. 42), a 6th-rd pick (No. 207), and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that becomes a first if Rodgers plays 65% of the plays next season. In addition to Rodgers, the Jets will receive the Packers’ No. 15 overall and a 2023 fifth-round pick.

Of course, adding a quarterback of Rodgers, who has won four NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl in 2010, has a lot of people within the Jets organization optimistic. Now Gang Green will hope Rodgers can lead them to the playoff for the first time since 2010.

“There is going to be excitement,” Jets general manager Joe Douglas said during his pre-draft press conference on Tuesday. “There’s a lot of things to be excited for with adding Aaron.

“With the pieces that we’ve added this offseason. There’s not going to be any crazy statements or anything like that. But I guarantee there’s going to be a bunch of players that are going to come in and become unified and really try to rewrite how the story ended last year and make sure we are not in that position again.”

On March 8, the Jets brass, including owner Woody Johnson, met with Rodgers at his Malibu, California home to convince him to ask for a trade to the Jets. A week later, on March 15, Rodgers announced his intent to play for the Jets on The Pat McAfee Show.

Following those events, a trade appeared imminent, but that was not the case.

The Jets and Packers went weeks without talking to one another following the NFL Annual Meetings in Phoenix in late March. But that changed last week as the two sides began trade discussions again.

The reported standstill was about protecting the Jets just in case Rodgers retires following the 2023 season. Before announcing that he wanted to play for the Jets, Rodgers went on a darkness retreat in southern Oregon to bring some clarity to his NFL future.

Before taking the retreat, Rodgers said he was 90% sure he would retire. But that changed once he discovered the Packers were set to move on from him after 18 seasons and pass the baton to Jordan Love, who sat behind Rodgers for three seasons.

Douglas declined to answer if Rodgers gave the team any indications that he would play beyond next season after playing a significant price to acquire him He also didn’t say if Rodgers would show up for the Jets voluntary portion of the offseason program, as he is reportedly scheduled to fly into New Jersey on Tuesday night to take his physical.

They’re also some other aspects of the deal both the Packers and Jets need to work out before any trade becomes official. One is Rodgers’ contract, as he is scheduled to make $59.5 million in 2023.

A trade for Rodgers would put the Jets over the salary cap by nearly $7 million. Douglas said the team is still working through some details but hopes to have everything finalized soon.

“There have been some positive discussions with Dave [Rodgers’ agent David Dunn]. “I’m not going to get into specifics about the details on that.

“That’s going to come out when everything is finalized, but there’s going to be a forum to discuss that in the future.”

The Jets will be getting a seasoned Rodgers, 39, at this stage of his career. He is coming off a season in which Rodgers still wants to prove he is one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

After winning back-to-back MVPs, Rodgers’ numbers were down as he passed for 3,695 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as he battled an injury to his ribs and a broken thumb. In 2020 and 2021, Rodgers averaged 4,207 yards, 42.5 touchdowns and only five interceptions during that span.

Douglas expressed confidence that Rodgers can still be one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

“He’s not far removed from back-to-back MVPs,” Douglas said. “You still have someone that maybe didn’t play at 100% throughout the year but still performed at a high level.

“Obviously, he’s going to be able to come in here and his relationship with [Jets offensive coordinator] Nathaniel [Hackett] and some of the other players on the team. With the people that we have in place, he can get conformable quickly.”

Rodgers will join a Jets team that feels ready to compete in a loaded AFC next season with the Super Bowl-winning Chiefs, Bengals who played in the AFC Championship and the Bills, who won the AFC East for the third consecutive season. Last year, the Jets’ defense improved from 32nd in the league in 2021 to fourth in points and yards allowed per game.

There’s no coincidence that the year the Packers won their last Super Bowl was when they had a top-five defense. Green Bay finished 2010 fifth in total defense, allowing 309.1 yards per game. This was the only time the Packers fielded a top-10 defense with Rodgers as their starting quarterback, as they had playmakers such as Clay Matthews, Tramon Williams, and Charles Woodson.

Like those Packers teams, the Jets have talented defensive players, led by first-team All-Pros defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, and second-team All-Pro linebacker C.J. Mosley.

“There’s quite a few young talented exciting players on this roster that are first, second, third-year players,” Douglas said. “I feel like the way we jumped out last year, a lot of those players proved they were ready to answer the call.

“Nobody is happy with the way we finished last year. To see a group of guys that are out there right now working and gelling together, they’re not satisfied with the way the season ended last year.

Rodgers will replace Wilson, who will be the Jets backup quarterback. Last season, Wilson was benched two separate times after poor performance against the Patriots and the Jaguars.

The Jets have maintained they want to keep Wilson while Rodgers is on the roster as they hope he can sit and learn from the future Hall of Fame quarterback.

“I feel like this is going to be a great thing for Zach,” Douglas said. “Zach’s ceiling is unlimited and no one works harder. No one loves ball more than Zach Wilson.

“Having the opportunity to really shadow and be with a first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback every day, every hour in the building, that’s a great opportunity and a great experience.”