Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is somewhat of a loose cannon. We have absolutely no idea when he is going to make a decision on his future in the NFL. This has been the case over the past few years.
But things seem to be a bit different this time around. Green Bay is not catering to his every need and not treating the future Hall of Famer as some sort of deity. Rather, it’s been noted several times recently that the Packers would prefer Rodgers to either retire or request a trade as the team prepares for the Jordan Love era.
Fresh off Rodgers meeting with the New York Jets’ brass in California, we’re hearing reports that the four-time NFL MVP could be done in Green Bay.
“It’s increasingly likely and looking like Jordan Love is going to be the quarterback for the Packers in 2023,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday.
Rodgers, 39, just recently emerged from a four-day darkness retreat in which he was contemplating his future in the NFL. There are three options for the future first ballot Ball of Famer:
- Retire
- Return to the Green Bay Packers
- Request a trade
Rodgers holds all of the cards here. He’s currently playing under a massive three-year, $150.8 million contract that comes with a $99.78 million dead cap hit should Green Bay trade the star quarterback this offseason. It’s in this that he would have to rework said deal in order to help facilitate a trade.
That represents a multi-pronged backdrop. If Rodgers refuses to redo his deal, the Packers can’t realistically pull off a trade from a financial perspective. Secondly, no team is going to make a move for the enigmatic quarterback without a guarantee that he’s going to play in 2023 and beyond. Hence, why we brought up the quarterback’s loose cannon mentality.
Related: Aaron Rodgers and the NFL’s top QBs right now
All signs pointing to Aaron Rodgers joining the New York Jets or retirement
There is a train of thought around NFL circles that the Jets’ brass meeting with Rodgers earlier this week was an effort to talk him out of retirement. Whispers from the site of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last week suggested that Rodgers was leaning in the direction of retirement.
As for the Jets’ quarterback situation, their decision to go all in on Rodgers might have cost the team Derek Carr. He had met with New York’s brass a couple weeks back but just signed on with the New Orleans Saints.
- Aaron Rodgers stats: 65% completion, 59,055 yards, 475 TD, 105 INT
As you can see, Rodgers is among the most prolific quarterbacks in the history of the game. In a vacuum, all but five teams would love to have him as their starter next season.
But there’s other layers to this situation. That includes Rodgers contemplating retirement several times, his enigmatic attitude, the quarterback’s price tag and compensation heading to Green Bay in a hypothetical trade. This seems to suggest that it’s the Jets or bust for Rodgers in 2023.
Related: Aaron Rodgers and the NFL’s highest paid QBs of 2023
Aaron Rodgers done with the Green Bay Packers
All of this is a long-form way of concluding that Rodgers is more than likely done in Green Bay after 18 seasons. The team is high on former first-round pick Jordan Love, who has drawn praise from others around the NFL in recent days.
There’s certainly good reason for this. Green Bay is coming off a disastrous non-playoff season. It doesn’t have the pieces in place to contend in the NFC moving forward. Rodgers’ relationship with the organization has been strained dating back to the Mike McCarthy days.
The writing has been on the wall for some time now.
Whether it’s heading to Jersey or retiring, it’s likely that the last we saw of Rodgers in a Packers uniform was following their Week 18 home loss to the Detroit Lions. What a run it has been for the two sides.
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