The New York Jets have been after Aaron Rodgers for weeks, possibly months. The Jets are now “cautiously optimistic” that they’ll get their guy, although Trey Wingo called it a “done deal” via Twitter on Monday. Even if the deal isn’t quite over the finish line, the betting landscape has already changed dramatically, and it might not move much more once the deal goes through. The Jets opened at 28-1 to win Super Bowl LVIII and are now just 15-1 at DraftKings Sportsbook. With such short Super Bowl betting odds, the market believes the Jets have the seventh-best odds — and the fourth-best odds of any AFC team.
New York Jets Betting Odds Shift Due to Likely Aaron Rodgers Trade
The Jets showed little interest in holding on to their existing quarterback staff. Zach Wilson, a former second-overall pick, got benched twice last season. His backup, Mike White, has already left for sunnier shores in Miami. That leaves a void under center for the Jets to fill, and the team is expected to respond by acquiring Aaron Rodgers.
In Rodgers, New York would get one of the NFL’s best veteran signal-callers. Rodgers is trading at 16-1 DraftKings to win next year’s MVP Award despite the uncertainty around his status. Although Rodgers has drawn plenty of criticism for his controversial stances and Joe Roganesque public persona, the four-time MVP led the NFL in passer rating as recently as 2021. Green Bay’s disappointing 2022 campaign fell more on the team’s incompetent front office than Rodgers’ own shoulders.
The move would unite Rodgers with his former offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, and a cast full of offensive weapons. Although Hackett infamously flamed out as the head coach of the Denver Broncos last year, he’ll only work as Robert Saleh’s offensive coordinator in 2023. Rodgers and Hackett would get to work with an exceptional set of young offensive playmakers, including electric running back Breece Hall and shifty wide receiver Garrett Wilson.
However, the Jets may have to bolster their offensive line if Rodgers comes to town. Their left tackle, former first-round pick Mekhi Becton, has played only 15 games since entering the league in 2022. Even if Becton can return at full strength, New York’s offensive line ranked a dismal 21st in pass-block win rate (57%). The unit allowed Zach Wilson to face pressure on 26.6% of his dropbacks in 2022.
The likely Aaron Rodgers trade has steadily moved the betting lines in New York’s favor over the past week. The Jets opened at 28-1 to win the Super Bowl but were trading at 25-1 just last Tuesday. That number has since moved to 15-1 at DraftKings Sportsbook. They passed two AFC teams, the Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens, in the process, leaving them behind only the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.
Super Bowl betting markets aren’t the only ones affected by the Rodgers news. Logically, the Jets now have the fourth-shortest odds of winning the AFC at 9-1. They have also closed the gap on the Bills to win the AFC East. Buffalo has moved from +100 to win the division to +120. In contrast, New York has moved from +310 to only +225. Although football season is months away, readers who are yet to register at DraftKings can score $200 in bonus bets after placing a $5 wager on any market!
