Rodgers plans to play for Jets in 2023, awaits Packers' move

“At this point, as I sit here, I think since Friday I’ve made it clear that my intention was to play and my intention was to play for the New York Jets,” Rodgers said. “I haven’t been holding anything up at this point. It’s been compensation the Packers are trying to get for me, kind of digging their heels in.”

Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy has acknowledged the team granted the Jets permission to talk to Rodgers, the face of the franchise since Hall of Famer Brett Favre was traded to the Jets in 2008. The Jets sent a contingent that reportedly included owner Woody Johnson, coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas to Rodgers’ home in Southern California last week.

Rodgers expressed his appreciation for his 18 seasons in Green Bay but added that it's time for the Packers “to do the right thing.”

“I have nothing but love in my heart for every Packer fan and everybody who works in the organization,” Rodgers said. “My life is better because of my time in Green Bay. But we’ve just got to look at the reality. They want to move on. They don’t want me to come back and that’s fine. They're ready to move on with Jordan. That’s awesome. Jordan's going to be a great player.”

The Packers declined to comment on Rodgers' remarks, which follow days of speculation that his time in Green Bay might be done.

Murphy spoke of Rodgers in the past tense while discussing the quarterback’s future with Green Bay TV station WBAY last week.

“Very few players play for only one team,” Murphy told WBAY. "Obviously Brett had a great career. Aaron had a great career here. Regardless of what happens, Aaron will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’ll be in our Hall of Fame. We’ll bring him back, retire his number. This is just one of the things that we go through as a team. We want to try to achieve something that’s good for both Aaron and us.”

Cowboys release 2-time rushing champ Elliott

The Dallas Cowboys released running back Ezekiel Elliott on Wednesday, ending a seven-season run for a two-time rushing champion who never regained the form of his dominant early years.

Elliott will be designated a post-June 1 cut, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team didn't reveal details of the decision. The move will save Dallas about $11 million under the salary cap this season.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said the decision was mutual to let the 27-year-old Elliott pursue another team in free agency and give the Cowboys more financial flexibility in building a roster.

"This is one of the toughest parts of operating a team," said Jones, who issued similarly heartfelt statements after the salary cap-related releases of defensive end DeMarcus Ware and receiver Dez Bryant in the past decade.

"Moments like this come, and extremely difficult decisions and choices are made. For the franchise. For me personally. For players, too," Jones said. "We will always have a special place and love for Zeke."

While Elliott finished with 12 rushing touchdowns in a second consecutive playoff season for the Cowboys in 2022, his overall production never matched the value of a $90 million, six-year extension he signed to end a preseason-long holdout in 2019.

As the quick start to Elliott's career fizzled, 2019 fourth-round draft pick Tony Pollard emerged as the best playmaker for quarterback Dak Prescott in the Dallas offense. The Cowboys have placed the $10.1 million franchise tag on Pollard for 2023.

Elliott has 8,262 career yards rushing, third on the Dallas list behind Pro Football Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith, the NFL's career leading rusher, and Tony Dorsett. Elliott also was third behind Smith and Dorsett with 68 career touchdowns rushing.

Elliott was an instant star as the fourth overall pick out of Ohio State in 2016, leading the NFL with 1,631 yards as a rookie and helping the Cowboys to the top seed in the NFC alongside fellow first-year sensation Prescott, who edged his teammate for 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Elliott's second season was interrupted by a six-game suspension over domestic violence allegations. Elliott fought the ban in federal court, but abandoned the two-month effort 10 games into the 2017 season.

Despite the suspension, Elliott still led the league in yards rushing per game, then added a second rushing title in 2018 when he and Prescott won their first playoff game together, a wild-card victory over Seattle.

Injuries robbed Elliott of the explosiveness that marked his first few seasons, although he rarely missed games over his final two years. He had career lows of 876 yards and a 3.8-yard average per carry last season.