It's all about the leverage. You would never think that I'd be using these words when it comes to a trade in the NFL. However, it seems like the trade between the New York Jets and the Green Bay Packers for Aaron Rodgers is anything but simple. Rogers desperately wants out of Green Bay and the Jets desperately want Rodgers as their quarterback, but Green Bay is taking their sweet time in making a deal. So, who has the trade leverage?

I was listening to NFL Radio earlier today, and former GM Mike Tannenbaum was saying that he thinks that the Green Bay Packers have all the leverage, but I'm not sure I agree with that. Rodgers clearly doesn't want to be in Green Bay anymore, the team clearly doesn't want him and his huge salary cap number prohibits the team from doing what it needs to do to improve and move on. I know that Green Bay wants to get the most that they possibly can from the Jets in a trade but at the same time, moving on from Rodgers is the healthiest thing for the Packers organization. 

The Jets, however, are likely trying to lowball Green Bay, but that's not going to work here because Rodgers does have significant value. We've seen what QBs like Russell Wilson can bring back in a trade, and Rodgers is certainly playing at a higher level than Russell Wilson. While I doubt that the Jets will trade their first-round pick this year, I think sending two second-round picks to Green Bay probably gets this deal done. Is that too much? I don't think so, considering the Jets' options right now are going with Zach Wilson or drafting somebody else, which at this point means it's another season of not making the playoffs. 

This should be a win-win trade for both franchises (and fantasy football managers). Can the Packers put their anger aside, and can the Jets make a fair enough offer to get a deal done quickly? I certainly hope so for both teams.