Everything Aaron Rodgers’ injury means for the Packers

While Green Bay Packers fans got over the Aaron Rodgers departure this summer, his injury on Monday Night Football could have serious ramifications to the draft capital Brian Gutekunst received in exchange for the future Hall of Famer.

The Packers received a conditional first-round pick for Rodgers, but the conditions were that Rodgers had to play at least 65 percent of the Jets offensive snaps. Now that he is out for the season after just four plays, that draft selection will drop to a second rounder.

The difference between a first and second round pick is a rather wide gap in the modern NFL. Depending on where the Jets would have finished with Rodgers in tow (in an alternate reality, surely), Green Bay would have received a pick later in the first round. Paired with their own first-round selection, the Packers would have had two elite talents to continue to build around Jordan Love, or draft pick ammo to trade up if needed.

Either way, a second-round selection for an aging QB who wanted out isn't the worst move, especially when that QB plays only four downs with his new team. It's a rather small blow for a fanbase that surely didn't want to see Rodgers career potentially end this way.

Green Bay Packers 2024 draft picks: How Aaron Rodgers injury impacts this class

Green Bay already made selections with three of the four draft picks they received from New York, selecting Lukas Van Ness, Luke Musgrave and Anders Carlson. The conditional draft pick was the final piece to the puzzle, and now it becomes a surefire second rounder.

That's still not a bad haul for the Packers, especially with how Van Ness looked on Sunday while chasing down Justin Fields. If Gutekunst can make good with the final selection, the Packers can consider the Rodgers trade a resounding win.