Might Aaron Rodgers’ days with the Inexperienced Bay Packers be really coming to an in depth?
In accordance with one long-time Packers observer, that’s certainly the case.
New reporting from Bob McGinn holds that the Packers have all however moved on from Rodgers, and if the veteran quarterback is again in Inexperienced Bay subsequent 12 months, it could solely be because the backup to Jordan Love. That may come as a shock, however hypothesis continues to mount concerning Rodgers’ future.
And with the quarterback about to embark on 4 days in a darkish room to make a decision about his future, now could be maybe the best time to consider what might occur when he emerges from the darkness.
Listed here are seven choices for Rodgers subsequent season, ranked.
7. Retirement/Spotify
There’s at all times the choice that Rodgers decides to stroll away from the sport.
If, after a number of days in darkness, he chooses the retirement path, is it that tough to imagine that his subsequent cease can be in a podcast studio?
Rodgers’ weekly appearances on the Pat McAfee Present grew to become must-watch occasions within the soccer media house, and now we have discovered over the previous few seasons that the quarterback has some quite fascinating ideas on life on the whole. He additionally just lately made an look on an astrology podcast and talked about his personal signal, in addition to former teammate Davante Adams.
Extra on that later.
Nonetheless, if Rodgers might emerge from the darkness and decides to depart soccer behind, and develop into a podcaster like everybody else.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a troublesome crew to pin down as we enter the offseason. The departure of Tom Brady, and their troublesome wage cap place, makes them a chief rebuild candidate. Provided that it’s unlikely — impossible — that Rodgers needs to be a part of a rebuild, that may take the Buccaneers off the checklist.
Nonetheless, they did make the playoffs final season, thanks partly to life within the NFC South. If the Buccaneers resolve to piece issues collectively for another run, Rodgers may very well be the reply to their quarterback wants.
Nonetheless, there are two potential roadblocks, and they’re huge ones. First, it’s arduous to imagine that the Packers would commerce Rodgers to an NFC crew — final month ESPN’s Adam Schefter posited that he didn’t suppose there was “any method” Inexperienced Bay would commerce him inside the convention — and the Buccaneers would make numerous strikes to get in compliance with the cap, strikes which may make Tampa Bay a much less fascinating vacation spot ultimately.
5. Washington Commanders
The Commanders have a brand new offensive coordinator. On Friday afternoon, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Community reported that the group was finalizing a take care of Eric Bieniemy to develop into their subsequent assistant head coach/offensive coordinator.
May Rodgers be the subsequent quarterback Bieniemy will get to teach?
Once more, there are a number of sticking factors. First, the concept the Packers would commerce Rodgers inside the NFC. Second, the plan getting into the offseason for Washington was to journey with second-year passer Sam Howell as their quarterback, given the failed Carson Wentz experiment.
However that is Rodgers we’re speaking about. Placing these plans on maintain, even for a season, may be interesting to Washington.
The Commanders have expertise on each side of the ball. What was lacking was consistency on the quarterback place. Rodgers actually brings that to the desk.
4. Tennessee Titans
It’s time to depart the NFC behind, and begin choices within the AFC.
The primary choice would possibly simply be the Tennessee Titans.
Tennessee does have an out underneath the phrases of present quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s contract. The Titans might save $27 million in cap house if Tannehill is waived, or traded, after June 1st. Whereas Tennessee drafted Malik Willis final season, they turned to Joshua Dobbs for his or her closing recreation of the common season, a must-win recreation towards the Jacksonville Jaguars in the event that they wished to make the playoffs.
Past the potential want at quarterback in Tennessee, a match between Rodgers and the Titans is smart in some NFL circles. Latest reporting from The Athletic cites two NFL executives who level to the Titans as a vacation spot for Rodgers, calling Tennessee “extra his tempo.”
And in case you take a step again and have a look at the remainder of the AFC South, whereas the Jaguars look aggressive heading into 2023, each the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans will probably be beginning rookie quarterbacks sooner or later throughout 2023, if not instantly in Week 1. There may be a window for the Titans to make a fast turnaround within the division that’s not believable with another potential AFC touchdown spots.
3. New York Jets
Talking of which.
After we carried out this train for Derek Carr, the New York Jets had been listed as the highest touchdown spot for his providers.
Why are they solely third for Rodgers?
Properly, as a result of there are two higher choices for him, at the very least from the place I sit.
However nonetheless, the Jets are an intriguing touchdown spot for any quarterback this offseason. They had been competent quarterback play away from a playoff spot — and possibly much more — final season, and the Jets have a ton of younger expertise on the roster. They’ve Defensive Rookie of the 12 months Sauce Gardner on one aspect of the sector, and Offensive Rookie of the 12 months Garrett Wilson on the opposite.
And let’s not neglect that Breece Corridor was within the combine for that award himself earlier than his harm on the finish of October.
There’s additionally the Nathaniel Hackett issue, given the earlier relationship between the 2 throughout their time in Inexperienced Bay. Though, that didn’t precisely work for the Denver Broncos final offseason.
Would Rodgers need to head to the Huge Apple? Would he need to play within the AFC East? Would he actually observe the identical path as his predecessor in Inexperienced Bay and play for the Jets after leaving the Packers?
These are more durable inquiries to reply, they usually open the door for 2 different choices.
2. Inexperienced Bay Packers
I perceive, the framing of this piece is that the Packers are prepared to maneuver on from Rodgers, and McGinn’s reporting holds that if he comes again to Inexperienced Bay it could be as a backup to Love. All of that makes the concept of Rodgers returning to Inexperienced Bay appear far-fetched.
However the cause why I believe a return to Inexperienced Bay is believable is that this. In the course of the NFL season I make a weekly radio look on Wisconsin airwaves, on the Invoice Michaels Present, and every Wednesday we’d speak about Rodgers, the Packers, and all issues NFL. And because the season was winding down, and Inexperienced Bay was placing themselves again within the playoff combine, one thing began to click on for the Packers, and in my thoughts as properly.
Rodgers appeared like he was having enjoyable once more.
And I bear in mind telling Invoice a number of occasions that even when they ended up falling wanting the playoffs, Rodgers’ newfound chemistry with the younger receivers in Inexperienced Bay, together with Christian Watson, would possibly repay in one other method. Not with a playoff berth, however with giving Rodgers a cause to return again for another 12 months. He was having enjoyable once more, and getting on the identical web page with the younger Packers receivers, and he now had proof of idea in entrance of him, for the way it might all work in Inexperienced Bay.
How he might win one other title for the Packers, surpassing Favre and matching Bart Starr.
I’m sticking to that idea for a short while longer.
1. Las Vegas Raiders
Nonetheless, chemistry exists elsewhere for Rodgers, in Las Vegas with former teammate Davante Adams.
The Raiders do seem to be the best touchdown spot, as a result of confronted with the prospects of enjoying Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs twice a season, in addition to the Los Angeles Chargers and Justin Herbert, together with the Broncos and Sean Payton/Russell Wilson, a rookie that the Raiders might draft within the first spherical would possibly hold Las Vegas chasing these three groups for the close to future.
Rodgers and Adams reunited, nevertheless, makes it a a lot totally different dialogue.
Nonetheless, is that this the trail Josh McDaniels prefers? We noticed how his time in Denver noticed Jay Cutler depart city, and now the primary 12 months of his Vegas residency ends with Carr leaving Sin Metropolis. Does McDaniels need to strive it once more with a 3rd veteran, or is he on the lookout for the rookie to draft and develop?
