Aaron Rodgers is finally a New York Jet.
The longtime Packers quarterback was officially traded to the Jets on Wednesday, the result of a months-long process that ended with Rodgers heading to the Big Apple.
With one of the biggest names in the NFL on the move, how does it affect the Chargers?
For one, it means the Bolts will still see Rodgers in 2023.
The Chargers are scheduled to play at Green Bay this season, so Rodgers was going to be the opposing quarterback at some point.
But the Bolts also play in New York, so the Chargers will still go up against Rodgers this season … only in a different shade of green.
Acquiring a future Hall of Famer likely makes the Jets even more competitive than they were a year ago when New York faded down the stretch and missed the postseason.
Remember that the Jets were doomed by inconsistent quarterback play and finished 7-10. With Rodgers in the mix, expect New York to be among the handful of teams challenging the Chargers for playoff seeding in December and January.
Finally, the AFC is now even stronger in terms of quarterback talent and power across the league.
Rodgers might not be at the MVP-level he was a few years ago, but he's also not going to play like one of the league's worst players.
The Chargers and Justin Herbert now have to contend in a conference with Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Trevor Lawrence, Tua Tagovailoa and now Rodgers.
Plus, Russell Wilson and Jimmy Garoppolo reside in the AFC West.
It seems that the wait for Rodgers to land with the Jets took forever.
But now that he's in New York, the Bolts must prepare for Rodgers at some point this season. And in a conference that only got tougher this week.
