Aaron Rodgers retirement decision drags on, holding Jets and Packers hostage along the way

Anyone expecting Aaron Rodgers to treat his departure from Green Bay differently than his Packers predecessor because of what Rodgers himself had to deal with as Brett Favre yo-yo’d back and forth on playing in Green Bay was sorely mistaken. The irony of Rodgers’ looming — “obnoxiously lingering” feels like a much more appropriate description at this point — decision is inescapable. Roughly 15 years ago, Rodgers himself floated in NFL purgatory as Favre waffled before ultimately being traded to the Jets on August 7, 2008. 

Unlike Favre, Rodgers is actually holding multiple franchises hostage. The Packers essentially told Favre to kick rocks after he decided to retire in March of 2008 and then changed his mind a few months later.

“Favre had one chance, and one chance only, to salvage his career in Green Bay. He had to commit wholeheartedly for another season by early March,” longtime beat writer Bob McGinn wrote in the Journal-Sentinel in 2008.

He didn’t, Rodgers took over and the rest is history. Rodgers is in a different boat, with the Packers reportedly preferring he either retire or express interest in playing elsewhere. 

Rodgers, who promised “it won’t be long” until his decision is made, has earned the right to take his time in making a decision. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback and one of the most exciting NFL players of his generation, regardless of positional value. 

But this is getting a little ridiculous, particularly in light of Tuesday’s flurry of free-agent rumors suggesting Rodgers might not only be the Jets quarterback of the future but their current general manager. (He also owns the Bears, making him the first QB/GM/owner of three different franchises in NFL history.)

ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported on Tuesday Rodgers provided the Jets a “wish list” of pass catchers he wanted the team to acquire, including a pair of former Packers turned free agents with a combined age of 70 years old.

Allen Lazard is one thing. He’s a possible replacement for Corey Davis if the former Titans first-round pick became a salary-cap casualty. And according to multiple reports, the Jets hammered out a deal to get the speedster a four-year, $44 million deal. According to Mike Garofolo of NFL Media, the Jets initially offered Lazard $9 million a year and came up significantly on that number in the last few days. The reason — Rodgers — should be…