To anyone who’s had the chance to witness Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers compete during the first six weeks of the NFL season, it hasn’t been difficult to see the league’s reigning MVP getting frustrated on the sidelines. While the on-field struggles have been obvious, maybe we shouldn’t be too surprised after star wideout Davante Adams was allowed to leave for Vegas.
Even then, few anticipated a 3-3 start for a team many expected to run away with the NFC North division crown. Instead, we’ve seen the Packers not only drop one game to a division rival, but they also haven’t shown any signs of drastic improvement since their season-opening loss.
A year after going 8-0 at Lambeau Field, the Packers have stumbled out to a 2-2 start playing in front of their home crowd. Sure, you could point to the loss of their top pass-catcher, more special teams woes, but most importantly, Green Bay isn’t putting enough points on the scoreboard to leave the stadium with a win. Scoring just 17.8 points per game (24th in NFL), if Rodgers and coach Matt LaFleur’s offense continues to struggle, it could lead to wholesale changes this offseason.
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Aaron Rodgers planning to leave Green Bay Packers after 2022 season?
- Aaron Rodgers stats in 2022: 67% comp. rate, 1,403 passing yards, 9 TD, 3 INT
We’ve heard all about Rodgers and the uncertainty regarding his playing future in recent season’s past. Only, we didn’t really hear the same concerns this past offseason. It’s a bit odd, considering this may have been the best time for him to leave, getting ahead of what could be a full-blown rebuild effort in Green Bay.
Of course, that’s easy to say now, six weeks into the year without any other pass-catcher emerging as a true weapon in the Packers’ offense. But Adams potentially leaving in free agency was always a possibility during the 2021 offseason. Only, Rodgers may have never expected it to actually happen. And the Packers likely didn’t envision such a scenario either. Yet a trade offer that was too good to refuse may have altered plans, immediately impacting their ability to win in the short term, which could have long-term complications.
Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million extension over the offseason, keeping the Super Bowl QB under contract through the 2026 season. But he’s also a four-time MVP who’s been with the team since 2005. There’s likely a certain level of respect the team would show for their QB, perhaps even allowing him to seek a new playing destination, just as we saw with Russell Wilson when he wanted to leave Seattle after ten seasons with the team.
Jordan Love situation creates urgency for Green Bay’s front office
While the Packers likely would prefer to hold onto their ten-time Pro Bowl QB, they also have the 26th overall pick from 2020, Jordan Love waiting in the wings. We haven’t truly seen what the former first-round pick can offer just yet, and he’s set to enter the final year of his contract heading into 2023.
Despite being in the league for three seasons, Love has attempted just 71 passes in his NFL career. The Packers would like to think they have their QB of the future already on the roster, but the 23-year-old signal-caller hasn’t been given the chance to show he can pull it off just yet.
No one expects Love to do more with what Rodgers is currently working with, but if the Packers are sitting at 3-5 with games against Washington and then Buffalo before the Nov. 1 trade deadline, should they suddenly consider trading their starting QB? Probably not, as Rodgers has shown an ability to turn things around quickly, but if he’s so fed up with his young cast of receivers, maybe a team like the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, or even the Denver Broncos would once again make an offer that’s simply too good to refuse.
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