Robert Saleh sure Aaron Rodgers will be Jet; OBJ on radar, too

PHOENIX — New York Jets coach Robert Saleh remains «confident» that Aaron Rodgers will be his quarterback for the 2023 season, and he'd love to see Odell Beckham Jr. catching some of Rodgers' passes.

Addressing reporters Monday at the NFL's annual league meeting, Saleh confirmed the team's interest in the free agent wide receiver. As for Rodgers, Saleh said the Jets are in no rush to finalize a trade with the Green Bay Packers, saying they could conceivably wait until training camp in late July.

«I'm not hitting the panic button,» Saleh said.

«I'm confident that things are going to work out,» he added. «You guys know me. I'm a very positive person and optimistic, so I'm confident that things will go the way we're hoping. But at the same time, it's not going to eat at me.»

It has been 13 days since the Packers quarterback, speaking on «The Pat McAfee Show,» gave a public commitment to the Jets. Since then, the two teams haven't been able to negotiate trade compensation. The Packers reportedly are seeking a package that includes the Jets' first-round pick (13th overall), and the Jets don't want to part with it.

Because of tampering rules, Saleh didn't mention Rodgers by name and avoided direct questions about the team's interest in him. But he left no doubt that he's counting on the four-time MVP to be the Jets' starting quarterback, with 2021 No. 2 pick Zach Wilson slated to be the No. 2. There is no obvious fallback option if, for some reason, the Rodgers trade falls through. Saleh declined to discuss that scenario.

Ideally, they would like Rodgers to participate in the offseason program, which begins April 17 and runs through mid-June, but Saleh indicated that's not a must.

Clearly, the Jets don't want to seem antsy, as