NEWSLETTER
The will he or won’t he saga surrounding Aaron Rodgers figures to play out its final act this offseason.
And for what it’s worth, his options seem simple enough.
Rodgers could stay in Green Bay — where he has won back-to-back MVP awards and tortured fans in Chicago, Detroit, and Minnesota — and take aim at a second Super Bowl title, cap ramifications be dammed. OR, Rodgers and the Packers could have a meeting of the minds, seek a trade, and do something that could appease both sides of the table. The former becomes more likely with each passing day. But, the latter, a trade, can’t be dismissed out of hand.
Don’t get me wrong. No team wants to trade its stud quarterback, certainly not one like Rodgers, whose identity is so tied into the franchise’s lore. But one look at the Saints’ situation (re Drew Brees) — no QB, a head coach who called it quits, and murky cap waters ahead — should present enough of a cautionary tale for Green Bay’s management team.
In some circles, a Rodgers trade seems like a logical conclusion to this arc. And in Pro Football Focus’ latest NFL mock draft, Austin Gayle pieces together what one could look like with the Denver Broncos. As one might expect, it’s a big one.
PACKERS RECEIVE:
⇒ 1st-round picks in 2022 (9th overall) and 2023
⇒ 2022 2nd-round pick (40th overall) and 2022 3rd-round pick (75th overall)
BRONCOS RECEIVE:
⇒ Aaron Rodgers (and the one-year contract worth $26.9 million)
The Packers could (and should) demand more in a trade, as just two first-round picks feels a bit light. Nevertheless, it represents a strong offer. Although, I’m unsure if it would be enough for Green Bay to give it the green light.
At the end of the day, Gayle believes “the writing is on the wall” for Rodgers to take his talents elsewhere in 2022. He even goes as far as to project the trade and what Green Bay would do with its newfound picks. And because the Broncos brought in former Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett to be their head coach, Gayle calls Denver “a likely trade destination” if the two sides can hash out a deal. You don’t have to squint to see where this makes sense. It’s just that it doesn’t feel like it will go through.
Again, logically, this makes sense. Especially since the Broncos were reportedly hot after Rodgers on draft day last year. But I struggle to see it happening now. In all honesty, I see the possibility of a deal becoming less likely with each passing day. It just isn’t adding up for Green Bay to push Rodgers out the door. This probably wouldn’t be the case if Jordan Love was able to show anything worthwhile in his cameo start. He didn’t. And that there has been such a notable push from the Packers expressing their desire to run it back, it sure seems like that running it back with Rodgers will be the most likely outcome.
The Packers have made public displays of affection for Rodgers since they were sent packing by the 49ers in the playoffs. And during his MVP acceptance speech, Rodgers spoke glowingly about the team, his coach, and the front office. Green Bay seems willing to go for broke to bring back Rodgers, and he seems willing to accept those terms.
Maybe we’ll get clarity on this issue later in the week…
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst will speak to reporters in person at noon CT on Wednesday at Lambeau Field.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) February 21, 2022
…or maybe this will continue to drag out (even though Rodgers said he wouldn’t do that again). Stay tuned.
