New York Jets Draft Defensive Player In First Round Of NFL Draft, Which Aaron Rodgers Should Be Used To By Now

There were rumblings over the years in Green Bay that the Packers didn't give Aaron Rodgers enough help. The rumblings coming from Rodgers, of course. His new team, the New York Jets, did work in free agency to help him on offense. But just like the Packers, they used their first round pick on a defensive player.

During Rodgers' tenure in Green Bay, the Packers simply refused to draft a receiver in the first round. In fact, they refused to draft any offense in the first round.

Rodgers will be happy to know that it had nothing to do with him. After trading Rodgers, most pundits -- myself included -- thought Green Bay would help new quarterback Jordan Love by drafting him some help on offense.

Not to be, though, as the Packers took Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness at #13 overall.

Since the team drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round in 2005, Green Bay has only selected three offensive players in the first round of the past 18 drafts.

They took tackles Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod in back-to-back drafts in 2010 and 2011. The next offensive player taken in the first round is Rodgers' replacement, Jordan Love, selected 26th overall in 2020.

Three offensive players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft in the past 18 years and one was a quarterback.

After swapping picks with the New York Jets in the Rodgers trade, the Packers moved up to 13th overall in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Aaron Rodgers' new team, the New York Jets, immediately stops drafting offense

During free agency, New York signed wide receiver Mecole Hardman. That was after having already locked up Rodgers' former Green Bay teammate, Allen Lazard.

Those two are in addition to having drafted Garrett Wilson in the first round last year. Plus, they still have veteran Corey Davis.

And that's just the wide receivers. They also drafted Breece Hall last year who was off to an incredible start to his rookie campaign before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

But in the NFL Draft, the New York Jets elected to take Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald.

The New York Jets drafted Will McDonald in the first round of the NFL Draft, another defensive player for an Aaron Rodgers team. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Now, there was a lot of talk about the team taking an offensive tackle. However, the three highest-rated players came off the board before the Jets pick.

Still, they could have taken a tight end or another wide receiver. The Jets have taken four offensive players in the last three drafts.

It's funny that they broke that streak as soon as Rodgers got there.