What happens if the Denver Broncos cannot get Aaron Rodgers in the 2022 offseason? Here are three fallback options for George Paton to consider.
Ever since the night of the 2021 NFL Draft, Denver Broncos fans have had their hearts set on Aaron Rodgers. Not unanimously, but it’s safe to say that the rumors that popped up about Rodgers possibly wanting out of Green Bay have ignited some hope in Broncos Country.
It’s already been 10 years since Peyton Manning chose the Broncos as a free agent. Denver Broncos fans are hoping another legendary quarterback wants to come to the Mile High City and win his 5th MVP award in orange and blue.
There are plenty of reasons it makes sense, not the least of which is the fact that a quarterback joining a new team has won the Super Bowl in consecutive seasons.
What happens if the Denver Broncos can’t get Aaron Rodgers?
So, as high as many hopes are in Denver, what are the team’s most realistic options if Aaron Rodgers is not in orange and blue next season?
General manager George Paton has an interesting road to navigate. There is obviously urgency in Denver being that the team has been searching for a quarterback for six years now. Paton inherited a very impatient fan base and he’s also got to make this decision with the team’s ownership situation in flux.
Even with all of that going on, it’s been expected that Paton will be aggressive this offseason. He made the Detroit Lions an offer last offseason for Matthew Stafford but they wanted more than Paton was willing to offer.
Watching Stafford win it all with the Los Angeles Rams, he’ll put the full-court press on if Rodgers becomes available, but if Rodgers decides to go back to the Packers, he’ll have to pivot.
Here are three options if that happens.
Denver Broncos option No. 1: Jimmy Garoppolo
After a year with Teddy Bridgewater under center, the faithful fans of the Denver Broncos wouldn’t likely welcome Jimmy Garoppolo with the most open of arms.
As a matter of fact, some fans are vehemently opposed and they’ll let you know about it all over Twitter.
But is the opposition to Jimmy Garoppolo more about Garoppolo or more about him being a non-Rodgers option?
It’s likely the latter if we’re being completely honest.
In two of the last three seasons, Garoppolo has helped the San Francisco 49ers push their way through an incredibly difficult division to reach the NFC Championship game. In the 2019 season, Garoppolo played arguably the best football of his pro career and the 49ers came within a complete fourth quarter collapse of beating the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
Garoppolo has proven — consistently — that with strong coaching and a strong supporting cast, he can thrive as an NFL starting quarterback. When Garoppolo is the starting QB, his teams have won, plain and simple.
That’s not to say Garoppolo is an MVP-caliber player, but there are undoubtedly worse players and the Broncos would be getting an upgrade over Teddy Bridgewater here.
Sure, Garoppolo makes silly mistakes at times in games, but does that mean he’s a bad player? I would say that’s not the case. I think at the age of 30, Garoppolo is a very competent NFL starter who is capable of getting all of the skill players involved and at his best, he gives you high-level QB play.
The Broncos have outstanding skill players, an offensive-centric coaching staff, and a very talented defense. Garoppolo could thrive there and for a fraction of the cost of other options.
Denver Broncos option No. 2: Carson Wentz
There have been some recent reports that Carson Wentz could be on the move after just one season with the Indianapolis Colts. Given the fact that the Colts gave up a first-round pick for Wentz, that would seem very confusing unless they have a preferable alternative already in mind.
Regardless of what kind of sense it makes for the Colts, reports are what they are. If Wentz is not likely to be with the Colts in the 2022 season, the Denver Broncos are a sensible possible destination for him, especially if they can’t land Aaron Rodgers.
Maybe the Colts are one of the teams that would like to have Jimmy Garoppolo…
Wentz was the second overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. After just two seasons in the NFL, it looked like the Eagles had one of the next big-time stars at the QB position on their hands, but injuries took their toll.
There was also plenty of drama between Wentz and the Eagles, and after Doug Pederson left, Wentz’s last major advocate was out the door.
It speaks volumes to the kind of guy and player Wentz is that Frank Reich wanted to trade for him this past year, and Wentz had a solid season statistically. With 27 touchdowns compared to just seven interceptions, Wentz showed outstanding improvement from the year prior, but there were still inconsistencies in his game.
Still, a stat line like that would be more than welcomed in Denver. Wentz may not be perfect and he’s not, by any stretch, but given the potential cost to acquire and the remaining years on Wentz’s contract, it might be a wise move for Denver to go after this kind of player who is not yet 30 years old.
Given the lack of true risk involved in this potential deal and the price to acquire (in terms of draft pick compensation) likely quite low with the writing on the wall, this could be a decent risk/reward option for the Broncos.
Denver Broncos option No. 3: Marcus Mariota
Of these three non-Aaron Rodgers options for the Denver Broncos, Marcus Mariota would be the only player that wouldn’t require a trade.
The former second overall pick is a free agent this offseason and after serving a couple of years as Derek Carr’s backup with the Las Vegas Raiders, Mariota may be ready once again for a starting role in the NFL.
At the very least, he deserves a chance to compete.
Broncos fans are not overly interested in a quarterback competition but perhaps Mariota can regain his once-promising form in Denver.
Mariota is an outstanding athlete with big-time speed, and although he had shown signs of regression and injury issues prior to being benched for Ryan Tannehill, there might be something here worth looking into.
The Broncos obviously brought Nathaniel Hackett and his staff into town to focus on player development and to set this team on a much more positive course offensively. With an offense-centric head coach and a strong staff, the possibility of Mariota has much more appeal now than it would have when Pat Shurmur was calling plays in Denver.
There was a year in Tennessee where Mariota crossed paths with Matt LaFleur, who obviously left to be the head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 2019.
It’s somewhat of an obscure connection, but given Mariota’s season with LaFleur and Hackett obviously working for LaFleur the past couple of seasons, there might be some carryover there.
Mariota’s physical skills and age are the biggest draw here, as well as the fact that the Broncos wouldn’t have to trade for him and he will probably cost way less than alternatives.