Mike White: Stay or Go

Edition #335

Good morning ☀️

Has anyone seen Aaron Rodgers? He was supposed to resurface yesterday but it’s far too quiet. I have a quick note on AR in the quick throws section.

I was thinking about what needs to happen for Aaron Rodgers to be a Jet in 2023 and here is the checklist as far as I see it:

1. He needs to find the light and leave his darkness retreat.

2. He then needs to decide that he still wants to play football.

3. He then needs to communicate that to Green Bay.

4. Green Bay needs to decide if they want to keep him or trade him.

5. Green Bay & Rodgers need to agree to a contract restructure to make a trade possible.

6. Jets & Packers need to agree on trade compensation.

7. Rodgers needs to agree to the trade. He doesn’t have a no-trade clause but with nearly 20 years of service to the franchise, the Packers won’t try and trade him anywhere he doesn’t want to be. After all, he could just retire.

So right now we’re stuck on the first point.

🧀 Jeff Darlington quoted a Green Bay Packers source yesterday who basically said that the expectation is that Rodgers will be back with the Packers next season and all of this is being overblown in terms of trade talk. The pendulum is starting to swing towards the most likely scenario all along.

📺 Netflix announced a new docuseries titled “Quarterback” - It follows Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, and Marcus Mariota through the 2022 NFL season. I’m a big fan of the “Last Chance U” series on Netflix so looking forward to checking this out. I bet they wish they’d chosen Zach Wilson, now that would be must-watch TV.

👴 The Tennessee Titans announced two veteran cuts yesterday as they gear up for free agency. Tackle Taylor Lewan and wide receiver Robert Woods will hit the open market. Could this mark the start of a youth movement in Tennessee? Meaning a certain QB may become available for a trade. I’m not saying I want him, but it’s worth watching.

🚗 More and more details are coming out about the Derek Carr visit to the Jets, and according to Dianna Russini, the Jets set out a grand vision that included a first-ballot hall of fame. All of this adds context to everything I’m hearing about the Jets’ interest in Carr and how serious they are about bringing him to NY. A message I got yesterday from someone I trust simply said: “Let me tell you, if Carr turned around tomorrow and said I want to come but we need to do it now, Jets do it, no question”

NFL on ESPN @ESPNNFL

Derek Carr's visit with the Jets on Monday went 'really well' 👀🗽 "[The Jets] made it super personal too, they said 'We believe if you come to New York and win, you could be a first ballot Hall of Famer.'" — @diannaESPN

We’ve spent considerable time talking about the Jets’ QB situation this off-season but we’ve spent very little time talking about Mike White.

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to focus on the pending free agents and whether the Jets should look to bring them back or not. Earlier this week I focused on George Fant, today I’m focusing on fan-favorite Mike White.

Over here in the UK I’m a season ticket holder for Norwich City, so it’s fair to say I’m a huge fan. Earlier this year we signed a player called Adam Idah to a contract extension, a player who’s been with the club since 2017, and every week I say to a buddy of mine “I’m still not sure if he’s any good”.

That in a nutshell is how I feel about Mike White heading into the 2023 off-season.