Former Lions QB opens door for Aaron Rodgers trade to join Russell Wilson trade as “one of the worst in NFL history”

Aaron Rodgers watched as the Russell Wilson trade rapidly devolved into what many call one of the worst trades in their lifetime. With the Broncos still actively paying for the fallout of the move, the Rodgers trade by the New York Jets stands on the cusp of joining it.

At least, that is what NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky said on Tuesday's edition of Get Up. Here's how he put it:

"The Russell Wilson trade for the Denver Broncos is widely viewed as one of the worst trades in the history of the NFL. If this doesn't go well for the Jets, this has in that conversation for being one of the worst trades in the history of the NFL. The Jets traded for a guy who was a two out of three-year MVP-winning quarterback," he said. [00:07:54]

He continued, calling the move a potentially disastrous waste of many players including Sauce Gardner.

"If they don't get anything for it, this is going to go down ... like a complete disaster. This is one of the best defenses ... in the NFL. You're going to waste Sauce Gardner. You're going to waste Quinnen Williams. ... Garrett Wilson is one of the best receivers. [00:08:41]," he said. [47.3] First Take

Of course, what Orlovsky seems to mean is that the Jets had a number of solutions they could have tried to capitalize on their best players. Instead of drafting a top quarterback prospect, looking at free agency, or trading for someone else, they traded for Rodgers.

Aaron Rodgers' return on investment chases Russell Wilson's low bar in 2024

Aaron Rodgers at New York Jets v New England Patriots - Source: Getty

Of course, the biggest difference between the two players is the capital spent to acquire them. The New York Jets merely spent a second-round pick with the potential of it becoming a first-round pick.

The Denver Broncos leveraged much of their current team and their future prospects to get Wilson. While it is possible for neither trade to bear fruit, the Broncos trade will likely rank worse based on the cost, even if the return is the same between the two.

That said, if one were to compare the returns between Rodgers and Russell Wilson alone, the latter is objectively in a better spot. Regardless of the cost, Wilson gave the team two years of availability while only missing four games.

This includes a mid-season rally that ranks as the best run the Broncos have had in nearly a decade.

Even if Aaron Rodgers plays all 17 games this season, he would only be at 50% availability. Of course, if he can give the Jets their first deep playoff run in about 15 years, the calculus changes considerably.

Will Aaron Rodgers' trade enter into the Russell Wilson trade conversation this year?

If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Get Up," and H/T Sportskeeda.