Aaron Rodgers is a first ballot Hall of Famer and a Packers legend. The number 12 jersey will most likely be retired.

It was never going to last forever and it seems now is a good time for both parties to move on. From his offseason antics to a difficult 2022 campaign, Rodgers’ future has been in doubt for some time. Here is why the Packers MUST move on from Aaron Rodgers.

Ripping Off The Band Aid

Rodgers’ stats speak for themselves. 10 Pro Bowls, 4 MVP awards and a Super Bowl. 59,055 career passing yards and 475 passing touchdowns.

With only five losing seasons in the 15 he has spent as the starting quarterback and only three seasons where he has played ten games or more and had less than 4,000 passing yards, the transition from Brett Favre to Rodgers could not have gone any smoother.

However, this season has been tough. Rodgers flirted with the idea of leaving the franchise until he was offered a new $150 million deal in March 2022.

His performances on the field were below par for someone who had won back-to-back MVP awards.  It was his first season since the 2010 campaign that he threw for double digit interceptions, and just the third time in his career.

At some point in every athlete’s career, there comes a time where your body starts to fail you. At the age of 39, it is safe to say Rodgers has reached father time in his career. Not every quarterback can do what Tom Brady did and play into their 40’s and do so at an elite level.

The Packers had no problem trading away Brett Favre and it feels that now is the time for the Green Bay front office to look towards the future, once Rodgers is back from his darkness retreat.

Waiting In The Wings

Jordan Love was drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, much to the shock of the Packers fanbase.

Love has had three years to sit behind Rodgers. At some point you need to see what he has got. Otherwise, you might as well trade him away.

Love got his chance on the field in 2022 and looked comfortable during the 40-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, who eventually won the NFC.

Love may have only attempted nine passes but threw for 113 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. He looked comfortable in the system and with a full offseason with starter reps, he would go into the 2023 season with plenty of confidence.

Packers general manager Brian Gutenkurst spoke of the “offseason additions” that Love will need to consider. Running back Aaron Jones spoke of Love’s readiness. NFL reporter Bob McGinn gave his take on the Love situation. He said: “They love Jordan Love. They think he is the second coming now. They’ve seen enough in practice for three years, that they believe he is Rodgers 2.0. That’s where this organization is coming from right now.”

Love showed his potential in college with Utah State, throwing for 60 touchdowns and 29 interceptions in three seasons. It feels that it is now Love’s time and they will hope he is the future. If this was not to work out, then there are plenty of draft picks or free agency pickups that could fix the QB position. Either way, Rodgers needs to be moved on for the good of everyone involved.

The time has come.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams Green Bay Packers feud are at its climax. On Friday night, the star QB and elite WR posted an Instagram story of “Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen”, which was a legendary basketball moment captured in the movie “the last dance”. 

This polarizing and mysterious image makes many people in the football world believe that the QB-WR duo could be playing one more season in GB today. The other possibility of the picture is that they’re not only signaling a leave of absence but potentially exiting together and they’re stating their dominant effort will be joint on another team. It may be less chaotic if the two remain married with the Packers, but I believe the second potential meaning of the two leaving the Pack is more likely to come to life.

It’s worth noting that the Packers just revealed that they ended long-term contract talks with Adams, prior to Adams publicly showing the MJ teaser. It would also seem more realistic that Rodgers is flexing the strong rapport that Adams and he simply share in a poetic way while leaving some mystery and team satire. I believe this was Rodgers’s tone shown on social media, vs him taking a 180 turn and proudly boasting their connection correlated with a gauge of the team’s direction after his long reported agony with Green Bay. 

Assuming Rodgers doesn’t take the path of sitting out 2021 but leaves to another squad potentially WITH Davanate Adams, a few interesting questions would follow. How could the Packers replace not one, but two elite talents? The team could go into a slow offensive rebuild over the next couple of seasons, or add admirable replacements in free agency. Although, there is another option: the Packers could acquire a QB and WR in an Aaron Rodgers trade. The option of trading for a QB and WR may provide the best route for talent and the best short-term path to high-end success. 

If the Packers want to add QB and WR talent in an Aaron Rodgers exchange, there are many directions that could be taken. Here are a few ideas that may be pleasing, yet realistic in a blockbuster Packers trade.

Packers and Raiders trade

• Las Vegas Raiders: Aaron Rodgers

• Packers: Derek Carr, Henry Ruggs, and a second round pick

or

• Raiders: Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams

• Packers: Derek Carr, Henry Ruggs, two second round picks, and a third round pick

Packers and Broncos trade

• Denver Broncos: Aaron Rodgers

• Packers: Drew Lock, Tim Patrick, and a first round pick

or

• Denver Broncos: Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams

• Packers: Drew Lock, Tim Patrick, a first round pick, and second round pick or Drew Lock and Courtland Sutton, and a first round pick, and third round pick 

The Broncos would be by far the best trade route with aim of acquiring a QB and WR. The team possesses two potential starting QBs (Lock, Teddy Bridgewater) and a loaded WR unit with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and KJ Hamler. 

Packers and Washington trade

• Washington: Aaron Rodgers

• Green Bay: Taylor Heinicke, Curtis Samuel, a first round pick, and third round pick

or

• Washington: Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams

• Green Bay: Taylor Heinicke, Curtis Samuel, a first round pick, and two mid round picks, or Taylor Heinicke, J.D. McKissic, and a first round pick, a second round pick, and mid round pick

Washington doesn’t appear to be a favorite to land Aaron Rodgers, but they carry a young QB and numerous weapons that could be franchise skill players in GB. 

A trade involving a QB and WR in return for Rodgers (or Rodgers and Adams) may be complex, but it’s a route that could carry more robust QB and WR talent than on the roster, free agency, and potentially any options in the next few offseasons. These few routes the Packers could acquire a talented QB and WR in return would provide hope and provide healing for cheeseheads in 2021, as well.

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In the 2020 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers drafted quarterback Jordan Love in the first round. Flash forward to the 2021 off-season, reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers wants to be traded from the Pack. Two questions loom large for the Packers QB situation: Where will Rodgers be traded to (assuming he is)? Is Jordan Love the future signal-caller for the Packers?

I believe a team in the AFC East could answer both of those imminent questions: Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have been on the fence with the second-year QB Tua Tagovailoa as the future of the franchise. Dolphins were strongly interested in trading for the likes of Deshaun Watson and they also expressed interest in drafting a QB. The Dolphins have loaded up on firepower for the former Alabama QB, but there’s lots of hope and risk in the situation.

The Dolphins could utilize the weaponry on offense and Top 3 defense to a veteran QB’s services this time around. The AFC squad may want to consider trading for the Packers future Hall of Fame QB, who’s fed up with having musical chairs at the WR2 and WR3 spots. Rodgers would have an elite WR in DeVante Parker, one of the top deep threats in Will Fuller, and rookie Jaylen Waddle — who’s drawn comparisons to Tyreek Hill. The Dolphins also have the 14th highest cap space (approximately $13 million). If A-Rod is inclined to being a Dolphin, could the Dolphins make it happen? 

The Dolphins would need to give up A LOT for acquiring Rodgers, as any team would. Yet, if the Packers are interested in Tua on a sizable level, the Dolphins would have significantly less compensation of other non-QB means to cough up. The reported asking price in terms of draft picks is “two first-round picks and a second-round pick”. 

The Packers may not see Tua as a player worthy of his draft selection last year, nor a future Hall of Famer. Nonetheless, Tua undoubtedly has more potential than Jordan Love and the 23-year-old has very similar traits (arm strength, throwing on the arm) to Jordan Love/Aaron Rodgers, which means a smoother scheme transition. By stating the facts above, the Dolphins may likely only have to offer Tua and a first-round pick to Green Bay — assuming the interest from each QB’s talent is high. 

If the Packers were in demand for Tua, a first-round pick, AND a “second or third-round pick”, it may still be worth it from the Dolphins perspective to pull the trade-off. Rodgers will likely not play until he’s 45 like Tom Brady, but the Dolphins are heavily invested in the pieces around the QB right now. Rodgers would inevitably utilize the pieces to maximal production and label the Dolphins as Super Bowl contenders early on.

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The Washington Football Team showed lots of potential last year as they snuck into the playoffs. WFT had an early postseason exit against the Buccaneers, but they gave the defending Super Bowl champions an intense fight in the 23-31 loss. Ron Rivera’s squad entered the offseason with a very talented defense, an elite wide receiver (Terry McLaurin), but a huge question mark at the quarterback position. 

It would seem likely that the WFT would add a talented player at the most vital position (QB) amid a team that’s well built around the weak QB spot. Yet, the WFT opted not to trade for a QB or draft one early on. Since the 2020 NFC East champions didn’t draft a QB, they’re left with Ryan Fitzpatrick competing against Taylor Heinicke for the starting gig. Fitzmagic may be serviceable, but the WFT has a unique opportunity to still obtain a very talented QB on a team that’s ready to compete “in the playoffs”. 

The quarterback that Washington should target: Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers is a world class athlete who seems firm about leaving Green Bay. I don’t believe Rodgers will cave in to this situation, nor will the Pack hold Rodgers hostage after drafting a QB in the first round last season. I believe a situation like this will take lots of time given the magnitude of the player and the returning compensation on the table, but eventually it will take place. And I believe the WFT would be a good landing spot. To be fair, I don’t believe it’s the most logical landing spot – but it would be the most exciting from my perspective. 

Reason number one: Rodgers would get to play in the NFC East

Aaron Rodgers has owned the NFC North for quite some time, but he could hold a bigger throne in the NFC – which is the NFC East. The NFC East was historically bad in 2020. If he moved to the nation’s capital, he would be on the defending NFC East squad looking down (7-9 in 2020). The division improved as expected, but the Cowboys and Eagles secondary is still weak, or less experienced heading into 2021. Outside of porous secondaries in the NFC East, the Eagles and Giants are slowly rebuilding as a whole.

If Rodgers was traded to the Raiders or Broncos in the AFC West, he would play in a much more competitive division, to say the least. If Rodgers heads to the NFC East, the reigning MVP would get a much softer schedule than one in the AFC West or even NFC North. 

Rodgers would also get to play the Packers this upcoming season, as Washington faces Green Bay.

Reason number two: Rodgers gets to play with Curtis Samuel and Terry McLaurin

The most thrilling part of seeing Rodgers in a Washington uniform lies with the weapons offered. Rodgers would get to have Percey Harvin 2.0 in WR/RB Curtis Samuel. If Rodgers had an ultimate slot WR that could make plays in open space, we would really witness Rodgers’s passer rating skyrocket. Yes, Curtis Samuel is the jack of all trades and he can stretch the field with Aaron, but WFT also holds an elite number WR1 in Terry McLaurin. McLaurin would truly give Davante Adams a run for his money in elite showcases if he was gifted a QB like Rodgers.

McLaurin with Rodgers is far more fascinating than Jerry Jeudy/Courtland Sutton with Rodgers, or Henry Ruggs with Rodgers. All in all, Rodgers would get another elite WR1, along with a talented WR2 that he’s been long craving for.

Reason number three: WFT has an elite pass rush

If Rodgers goes to Washington, they will be an instant playoff team, undoubtedly. Yet, Rodgers is solely focused day in and day out on the ultimate prize: winning a Lombardi trophy. In order to win the Super Bowl, they will likely have to play the Buccaneers or Saints in the NFC/then most likely the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. 

In order to beat the Chiefs or the Bucs/Saints, WFT will have to do what only has ever worked: get to the QB without blitzing. The WFT can get to the likes of Pat Mahomes with their front seven and make the QB’s life miserable. Chase Young and Montez Sweat are arguably the top edge rushing combination in the NFL. They both run 40 times like RBs but also carry 6’6 260 frames. To sum it up, WFT holds a scary pass-rushing unit that fuels their defense, and in this day in age, we all know all too well that defense wins championships.

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