The Aaron Rodgers-New York Jets situation is beyond the point of absurdity

BOSTON -- For all intents and purposes, NFL free agency began at noon on Monday.

Aaron Rodgers simply disagrees.

The quarterback who's made a habit of marching to the beat of his own drum in recent years is not a free agent, but all signs point to him being done playing football in Green Bay. So, it's either a trade or retirement for Rodgers, who will turn 40 in December of the upcoming season.

Yet while every team around the league gets to work in building a contender for the 2023 season, Rodgers is ... doing his own thing somewhere, apparently in no rush to force any action.

While Trey Wingo confidently reported on Monday that a Rodgers trade to the Jets was "done," that reporting was refuted by Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter. And as Tuesday morning turned into Tuesday afternoon, there still hadn't been any concrete reporting on the matter. 

In the meanwhile, the Jets have gone about ... pursuing all of Rodgers' favorite targets. From Allen Lazard, to Randall Cobb, to Marcedes Lewis. Apparently, that's at his behest, as he's asked the Jets to get those guys, and he also wants them to pursue Odell Beckham Jr.

That's a remarkable wish list for a quarterback who isn't even on the team yet.

Obviously for the Jets, this madness will all be worth it if they sign Rodgers and he can play like the MVP of the league. He was able to do that as recently as 2021, and even though he had a mediocre season and is set to receive some "over the hill" gag gifts in December, there's reason to believe he's got enough pent-up spite to put together a monster season and drive the Jets into late January and maaaaybe even early February. An optimist would have no trouble cooking up that scenario.

Still, all of this -- the conflicting reports, the confused teammates in Green Bay, the confused potential teammates in New Jersey, the wish list -- before he's even technically a part of the team? It's a lot. And in a league where a different quarterback from Green Bay used to manipulate teams and media to dedicate the bulk of their spring worrying about him, Rodgers is giving Brett Favre a run for his money in the realm of absurdly complex offseasons.

The Jets just have to hope Rodgers does end up in Florham Park sooner than later, and that it all works out according to plan. If not, all of this ... will make for a tough look.