New York Jets coach Robert Saleh said he believes four-time Most Valuable Player Aaron Rodgers will be his quarterback in 2023.

While Rodgers has said he wants to play for the Jets in the upcoming season, New York and the Green Bay Packers have yet to come to trade terms. Saleh told reporters Monday at the league owners meeting in Phoenix that he is “confident” a trade will happen.

“I’m not hitting the panic button,” said Saleh, who didn’t state Rodgers’ name because of league tampering rules but made it clear who he was talking about.

He added: “I’m confident that things are going to work out. 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.”

Jets general manager Joe Douglas, meeting with reporters later in the day, went so far as to rule out a possible pivot from Rodgers to Lamar Jackson, who revealed Monday he requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens back on March 2.

Douglas worked as a scout for the Ravens from 2000-2014 and has relationships with that front office, but he wouldn’t bite.

“First of all, Lamar Jackson is a fantastic player, but where we stand is, it would be disingenuous and negotiating in bad faith if we went down that path,” Douglas said. “We have our plan, we have our process and we’re sticking to that. … We’re never going to operate in bad faith.”

ESPN reported Monday that the Packers want compensation for Rodgers that includes the Jets’ first-round draft pick, No. 13 overall, but the Jets are balking at the request.

While it would be beneficial for Rodgers and the Jets for him to be on board when the offseason program begins in mid-April, Saleh implied he isn’t in a hurry because of Rodgers’ familiarity with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who held that job in Green Bay for three seasons.

“If there’s a great rapport with the coordinator, there’s really no urgency,” Saleh said. “The quarterback, if he understands the system, if the quarterback knows it, it’s just a matter of just refining skills and doing all that stuff. So, there’s no hurry.”

Saleh also said he’d like to pair free agent receiver Odell Beckham Jr. with the future Hall of Fame quarterback.

Saleh said the Jets are intrigued by the 30-year-old veteran.

“He’s been a fantastic receiver in this league,” Saleh said. “Everything you hear about him, he’s a phenomenal person. That’s something you’re always going to look over, turn over every stone, cross your Ts, dot your Is, just make sure you’re, you’re not missing an opportunity to add a great player. And there’s no guarantee anything will happen.”

–Field Level Media

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton acknowledged teams have called to inquire about Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton this offseason, but he reiterated Monday the team isn’t “interested” in dealing either of its two leading receivers.

“I think it’s pretty common every offseason,” Payton said Monday of rumors the Broncos might part with one or both. “(There is a) new coach (and it’s) not a real deep receiver draft.

“I would say a number of teams have called on those players. It’s not something that we’re interested in doing.”

Asked Sunday about it, Payton said “we’re not trading those two players.”

Jeudy led the Broncos with 67 receptions for 972 yards and six touchdowns last season. Sutton was second with 64 catches for 829 yards, but only reached the end zone twice.

While Payton evaluates the entire roster of a team that stumbled to a 5-12 finish last season, receiver is a position of strength.

In addition to Jeudy and Sutton, Tim Patrick is returning from a torn ACL and KJ Hamler might be ready for training camp following surgery for a torn pec. The Broncos added veteran Marquez Callaway to a depth chart that also includes holdovers Kendall Hinton (33 catches in 2022), Brandon Johnson (six), Jalen Virgil (five) and Montrell Washington (four).

While Payton has denied an interest in parting with one of his top two wideouts, it may ultimately be a strong consideration as he attempts to rebuild the running game. He has very little draft capital to work with due to last season’s blockbuster deal for quarterback Russell Wilson along with another first-rounder Denver parted with to get Payton from the New Orleans Saints.

“(The rumors will) continue, I’m sure, as we get closer to the draft,” Payton said. “If you really look at the draft and you really look at the receiver depth in the draft, it’s not a real deep draft.

“If you’re a team that’s looking for receivers – we’re not the only team people called. I’m sure Houston with Brandin Cooks and other players like that. It’s pretty common in the offseason, I think.”

Speaking of Wilson, Payton declined to say much about last week’s report that the quarterback underwent arthroscopic knee surgery after the 2022 season. Wilson resumed workouts and throwing and is expected to be ready for OTAs.

“Injury wise, I’ll keep you posted,” Payton said. “That’s something we’re not going to talk a lot about – probably ever.”

–Field Level Media

Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day accused TSA agents of sexual assault following a security check in advance of a flight Friday out of John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif.

Joseph-Day took to Twitter to describe an incident he described as “dehumanizing” and when he expressed objections, he said agents “threatened to call the sheriff on me.”

“I really just got sexually assaulted by TSA at @JohnWayneAir,” Joseph-Day posted to Twitter on Friday. “After I asked the gentleman to please stop BC I’m uncomfortable and I feel that this part of the check is unnecessary (After he felt what was needed). Then they told me I was the problem after 3 TSA agents swarmed me.”

The official John Wayne Airport Twitter feed replied to Joseph-Day’s concerns.

I really just got sexually assaulted by TSA at @JohnWayneAir. After I asked the gentleman to please stop BC I’m uncomfortable and I feel that this part of the check is unnecessary (After he felt what was needed). Then they told me I was the problem after 3 TSA agents swarmed me.

— Sebastian Joseph-Day (@SJD_51) March 24, 2023

“Hello @SJD_51, thank you for bringing this to our attention,” @JohnWayneAir replied. “Our priority is providing a comfortable and safe experience when traveling through John Wayne Airport. We are forwarding this information to TSA.”

A sixth-round draft pick out of Rutgers by the Los Angeles Rams in 2018, Joseph-Day played three seasons with the Rams and won a Super Bowl with the team in 2022. He joined the Chargers last season as a free agent.

Joseph-Day, 28, had 56 tackles and two sacks in 16 games (all starts) last season. He has 193 tackles and eight sacks in 55 games (54 starts) over four NFL seasons.

–Field Level Media