Bill Belichick gives Patriots a blessing in disguise with failed offseason trade

It's not often that top-tier quarterbacks, especially Aaron Rodgers' caliber, become available to trade for in the NFL. So it was no surprise that Bill Belichick allegedly made some calls to inquire about a deal when the longtime Packers quarterback was hoping to be traded out of Green Bay.

The Patriots were in the hole at quarterback going into the 2023 season. After an impressive rookie year, Mac Jones struggled, and the head coach was ready to move on from him after just two years. It's why the potential acquisition of Rodgers was intriguing for Belichick, especially since he was coming off another MVP season.

Although he was not known for dishing out the big bucks for any player, no matter how much they contributed to New England's success during his tenure (i.e., Tom Brady), Belichick's appreciation and respect for Rodgers was well documented. It seemed if he were going to go all-in for someone, it would be the longtime quarterback.

Fortunately, rumors claim Rodgers was not interested in going to Foxboro and reportedly "vetoed" the possible trade from happening. Whether or not that's entirely true doesn't matter, as he became the latest problem for the New York Jets and the latest reports claim he won't be on their roster for much longer.

The demise of Aaron Rodgers in New York is exactly why the Patriots were geniuses not to trade for him

There's never a dull moment around the Jets, and this season is no different. With Rodgers back in the lineup full-time after suffering a season-ending injury in the first game of the 2023 season, the drama continues to follow the quarterback wherever he goes.

His MVP days are officially behind him and because he has been far from impressive on the the field this year, team owner Woody Johnson reportedly wanted to bench Rodgers earlier this season. Because that didn't happen, and the Jets took a different approach instead, like allowing the quarterback to seemingly dictate what to do with the roster and coaching staff, things have gone from bad to worse.

According to The Athletic's Dianna Russini, Rodgers plans to play in 2025 but no longer wants to be on the Jets. Rumors suggest the team might bench him as soon as Week 13 or place him on injured reserve to essentially end his season. Other chatter claims Rodgers might try to weasel his way out sooner, demanding he be released mid-season.

Whatever happens is a situation in which the Patriots can be thankful they have no part. While on paper, acquiring a quarterback like Rodgers seems like a good idea, especially for a team looking to be competitive again like the Patriots, the drama that comes with him is far from worth it, and that doesn't include his weak performances on game day.

No matter if Rodgers really declined a potential trade to New England or not, it's a good thing Belichick didn't heavily pursue a trade because the Patriots would be in an incredibly tough situation right now if he were on the roster.

Instead, they are lucky to have Drake Maye laying the foundation for the team's future.

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