Dan Orlovsky is a former NFL quarterback, and one of the top analysts on ESPN currently.
However, he isn’t above saying some outlandish things. His latest comments surrounding the New York Jets may take the cake, though, regarding what constitutes a bad trade, and a historically bad one.
Dan Orlovsky Says Aaron Rodgers Trade Could Be One of the Worst in NFL History
Speaking on ESPN’s First Take, Orlovsky discussed why the Jets trade for Aaron Rodgers means that anything less than a Super Bowl would be a horrific failure.
“I compare it to the Russell Wilson situation,” Orlovsky said. “The Wilson trade for the Denver Broncos is widely viewed as one of the worst trades in the NFL. If this doesn’t go well for the Jets, this is in that conversation. The Jets traded for a guy who was a two-out-of-three-year MVP quarterback. If they don’t get anything for it, it will go down in Joe Douglas’ resume as a complete disaster.”
.@danorlovsky7 says if the Jets don't make a championship run during Aaron Rodgers' tenure, this could be one of "worst trades in the history of the NFL" 😳 pic.twitter.com/bO26uf4W7i
— First Take (@FirstTake) July 30, 2024
Orlovsky then pointed to the young talent on the roster, including a defense that has been a top-five group in back-to-back seasons. They also have wide receiver Garrett Wilson, whom the former quarterback called one of the best receivers in the game today.
It’s all up to Rodgers and the coaching staff to make it work in the eyes of the ESPN analyst.
“When Aaron Rodgers wants out of Green Bay it was, ‘Oh my gosh, what teams are the right situation to go get a quarterback that’s coming off an MVP season?'” Orlovsky explained. “Then, the acquisition happens and everyone was like, ‘This is the dice roll by the Jets.'”
While it certainly can be considered a dice roll of sorts, it’s unfair to lump the trade for Rodgers in with the worst deals in NFL history, especially when context gets added to the entire debate.
Why Orlovsky is Incorrect About the Rodgers Trade
There have been so many bad trades throughout NFL history. The Minnesota Vikings gave the Dallas Cowboys the tools to build an NFL dynasty in the 1990s for the rights to Herschel Walker. The Denver Broncos gave up multiple first-round picks and a lucrative contract to Russell Wilson to not even threaten for a playoff spot.
Heck, even the Cleveland Browns reached the playoffs without Deshaun Watson — the player they gave a fully guaranteed contract to after he cost them multiple first-round picks.
There have been many bad trades throughout NFL history that have changed the trajectory of organizations.
The Jets are one team that doesn’t have too much downside in such a blockbuster trade.
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For starters, New York is currently in the midst of a 13-year playoff drought with multiple mediocre quarterbacks walking through the halls. If Rodgers is even his average self, there’s a solid argument to make that he could be a franchise record-holder for passing in a single season.
Then, there’s the reality that the Jets didn’t actually give all that much up to get Rodgers in the first place. New York has an excellent young core of stars on both sides of the ball, including All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner and former Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson. That core needed to be maximized to the highest degree, which is why the Jets chose to target Rodgers rather than pursuing free agent Derek Carr (who is also making more money than Rodgers in 2024).
New York gave up a 2023 first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks as part of the deal to Green Bay for Rodgers’ services. While many would argue the Jets did not even have to give up that much, it is significantly less than the trade that brought Wilson to Denver (two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-rounder, and three players).
Compared to what the Seattle Seahawks gave up, the Jets should be ecstatic that their pursuit of a quarterback hasn’t destroyed their future.
The Jets’ acquisition of Rodgers isn’t even close to one of the worst trades in history. New York has a first-round pick next season (and all future picks as well). They don’t lose out on any additional money, and they most certainly will be able to pay their deep core of talent already on the roster.
For the Rodgers trade to not work out, the AFC would have to be as competitive as it has been in recent years, and the Jets to be marred by the injury bug once again.
That doesn’t make the trade a bad one — the process itself is strong. If the Jets don’t contend for a Super Bowl with Rodgers, it just means that their rotten luck continues.