Aaron Rodgers is back with the Packers for 2021 but could be gone after this season. So where would be his best landing spots in 2022?
As far as the 2021 NFL season is concerned, the Aaron Rodgers saga with the Green Bay Packers has seemingly come to a close. The reigning NFL MVP reported to training camp on Tuesday (tipping his cap to Kevin Malone’s famous chili in the process) after reports that the two sides had finally come to an agreement.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Monday that the Packers were willing to make concessions to their quarterback in order to get him back in the building. Some of that included voiding the 2023 year on his contract; some of it dealt with increasing Green Bay’s cap room while not losing money; but the most important part was the flexibility to reevaluate the quarterback’s situation after the upcoming season.
Translation: Aaron Rodgers can choose where he wants to play in the 2022 NFL season.
So with that mechanism now in place, we know that Rodgers will be a Packer this year but his home beyond that is very much in question. Subsequently, we’re going to dive into the five best landing spots for the future Hall-of-Fame quarterback in 2022.
5. Washington Football Team
It’s not a stretch to say that the Washington Football Team has constructed one of the most enticing overall rosters in the league. The franchise brought in veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick in free agency this offseason in hopes that he could upgrade the quarterback spot. But as he’ll be 39 years old at the end of this season, the future of the position beyond 2021 is a bit murky.
Rodgers would have to love the situation he’d be walking into in the nation’s capital. He’d have a multitude of weapons with the likes of Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Logan Thomas and Antonio Gibson, all operating behind a quality offensive line. Furthermore, the Washington defense would be easily the best that he’s played with in his career — and the unit rife with young stars could be even better by 2022.
Now, the big question for Rodgers would be, if he’s making a decision of where he’d like to be traded, if the west coast native would want to be in Washington. That’s fair but, in terms of football situations, it’s hard to deny the attractiveness that this franchise has to offer.
Plus, what better way to usher in a new brand for the organization than by bringing in one of the best quarterbacks of all time to line up under center in the first year with a new nickname?
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Much like the Packers, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a storied organization that has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success throughout their history. However, it does appear that their most recent era of triumphs is coming to an abrupt halt.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looked like a shell of his former self last season and the offense suffered as a result. While he showed up to training camp this offseason looking in better shape than we’ve seen him in some time, you have to wonder how long the gunslinger who has already previously contemplated retirement is going to keep suiting up for the black and gold. And as of now, there isn’t a succession plan in place.
If the Steelers could somehow entice Rodgers to come to Pittsburgh, though, that would change everything. While the offensive line is a concern for 2021, there are talented young players in that group and there’s the opportunity for that to be reworked. Beyond that, this team has a host of intriguing skill position players, including rookie running back Najee Harris in addition to wide receiver Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson.
Oh, and let’s not forget that the Steelers defense has been among the NFL’s best in recent seasons, giving Rodgers plenty of security when he doesn’t have control of the game. All told, Pittsburgh offers Rodgers a terrific opportunity to chase Super Bowl glory once again.
3. Green Bay Packers
Before you say that this isn’t plausible, it wasn’t that long ago that people were speculating that there was little chance that Aaron Rodgers would ever suit up for the Green Bay Packers ever again. But on the first day of training camp, QB1 showed up on time and ready to work. So it’s hard to totally take the possibility of him returning to the Packers again off the table at this point.
Considering that the Packers had to make several concessions to Rodgers just to bring him back, it does feel safe to say that the quarterback’s relationship with the franchise remains tenuous at best. With that being said, some work has clearly already been done to get the quarterback back in the building. Who’s to say that more work can’t be done over the next 4-6 months to further repair the relationship?
With Rodgers at the helm of the offense, the funny thing about all of this offseason’s drama is that they remain a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Rodgers now has help beyond Davante Adams and Aaron Jones with Randall Cobb coming back to town and with rookie Amari Rodgers on his way in. Moreover, the defense is as good as its been in quite some time.
Frankly, winning cures a lot of things. And if Rodgers returning for the 2021 season with Green Bay leads to the Packers getting the quarterback his second ring, perhaps that could be enough to entice the quarterback to stay.
2. Las Vegas Raiders
Amid the Rodgers saga has been another drama-filled excursion for the Packers with star wide receiver Davante Adams. Entering the final year of his current contract, reports prior to the reconciliation with the quarterback indicated that Adams and Green Bay were tabling negotiations for an extension indefinitely. But with Rodgers freeing up cap room, it now seems as if those talks could start up again.
Having said that, one of the most popular possible landing spots for Adams should he not work out an extension with the Packers is the Las Vegas Raiders, a signing that would reunite the wideout with his former Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr. However, it also can’t be ruled out that the Raiders would move on from Carr.
Raiders head coach Jon Gruden is infamously finicky when it comes to his quarterbacks as he’s enamored with the position and always looking for a new toy. There’s a reason that Carr’s future with Las Vegas has seemingly perpetually been in doubt since Gruden arrived. And if Rodgers were on the table, you’d have to believe that the possibility of a change would be more real than ever before.
For my money, the Raiders roster isn’t on par with the likes of Washington, Pittsburgh or even Green Bay. With that said, this would put Rodgers in a massive market and on a team that, admittedly, still has a lot of upside. Las Vegas was mentioned as a possible trade destination this offseason and I wouldn’t expect that to change should the quarterback want to move on for the 2022 season.
1. Denver Broncos
When the Aaron Rodgers trade rumors reached a fever pitch this offseason, the most popular suitor for the quarterback was the Denver Broncos. Of course, that didn’t materialize and it’s hard to think that the Denver front office wasn’t somewhat holding out hope that they would land the all-world quarterback as they enter the year with Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater as their two best options at the position.
Honestly, it’s a bit unfortunate that’s the case. You’d be hard-pressed to find many rosters around the league as primed to compete for a title as the Broncos outside of the quarterback spot. They have weapons galore with Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, Javonte Williams, Jerry Jeudy, Melvin Gordon and more, their offensive line has developed extremely well, and the Vic Fangio defense remains fierce.
But again, the quarterback spot is a limiting factor at this point in time. Lock has shown little reason for confidence in him moving forward and, while Bridgewater is a fine, steady option, he still has a defined and not-so-lofty ceiling for where he can elevate an offense.
Aaron Rodgers would immediately change that. He would maximize what the offense has to offer and truly make the Broncos challengers to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the NFC West and for the Super Bowl. And given the reported interest this offseason, it’s hard not to think that they’ll be the frontrunners to land the future Hall-of-Famer should he leave Green Bay in 2022.