Over the past few offseasons one of the consistent storylines has been around Aaron Rodgers and whether he might retire and if he doesn’t retire will he remain with the Green Bay Packers. Each year, that storyline comes and goes as Rodgers returns to be the starting quarterback for the Packers.
The power has seemingly lied with Rodgers but it might be the Packers that ultimately make the decision this year as they have Jordan Love, their first-round pick from 2019, waiting patiently for his chance to start. The reason this coming offseason is so pivotal is that he is entering the final year of his rookie contract and the Packers have to make the decision of whether or not to pick up his fifth-year option.
It is time for the Green Bay Packers to trade Aaron Rodgers
The Packers are either going to need to commit to Love or trade him to avoid him leaving in free agency. It would make sense with Rodgers getting towards the end of his career that Green Bay would elect to stick with the younger player in hopes they have a long-term answer at the position.
If the Packers go this route, it means that Aaron Rodgers could potentially be available in a trade this offseason. While Rodgers may not be playing at an MVP level this season, he is still capable of playing winning football in the right situation.
The fact that Rodgers does have four more years on his contract after this season could be a concern for some teams but there is a potential out after the 2023 season according to Spotrac. This means that there isn’t necessarily a long-term commitment if it doesn’t work and these are five teams that could be in a win-now mode that trading for the veteran quarterback makes sense.
Tennessee Titans
Over the past few seasons, the Tennessee Titans have been one of the top teams in the AFC and look to be on their way to another AFC South division title this year. The Titans have perfected the winning formula of solid defense combined with an excellent run game that allows them to grind out wins.
They have had Ryan Tannehill under center during this stretch and he does a great job managing the offense and providing just enough of a threat in the passing game that keeps defenses off balance.
However, if the Titans were to add Aaron Rodgers it would really take this offense to the next level as Rodgers is certainly the better quarterback. It could also help Derrick Henry as it takes some pressure off him and maybe even lighten his workload.
The biggest question for the Titans is that they do have a young quarterback on the roster who appears to be the future in Malik Willis. However, for a team that is competing for playoff spots on a yearly basis, they may not want to waste their window allowing a quarterback to develop.
Indianapolis Colts
Staying within the division, the Indianapolis Colts is another spot that would make a lot of sense for Aaron Rodgers.
Since Andrew Luck retired, the Colts have not been able to find a consistent answer at the position. They have brought in veterans like Phillip Rivers, Carson Wentz, and Matt Ryan with Rivers getting them to the playoffs but Wentz and Ryan struggling.
The Colts this offseason is going to be making significant changes within the organization as they will be looking for a new head coach after firing Frank Reich earlier in the year. They also likely will be looking for a new quarterback even though Matt Ryan is under contract through the 2023 season but can be released with only a dead cap amount of $18 million, according to Spotrac.
While the Colts have been one of the worst teams in the league this year, there are plenty of reasons to believe they could quickly turn it around. They have one of the best running backs in the league in Jonathan Taylor, a good offensive line when healthy, and a solid wide receiver group led by Michael Pittman.
These offensive pieces combined with a solid defense can be competing for division titles with a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Jim Irsay try to make a big splash this offseason after how the 2022 season has played out.
New York Jets
The New York Jets thought they were getting their quarterback of the future last year when they drafted Zach Wilson second overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, Wilson has been nothing short of a disaster and has been benched for Mike White.
While White has played well, it is far from a guarantee that he can be the franchise quarterback the Jets have desperately been looking for.
Even though the Jets have gotten the quarterback position wrong, they have drafted very well at other parts of the roster and have one of the best defenses in the league. They have also built a good offensive line and have young offensive players that have shown a lot of promise already in Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, Breece Hall, and Michael Carter.
If the Jets are truly ready to move on from Zach Wilson, and frankly they should be, making a trade for Aaron Rodgers would make a lot of sense. The only downfall might be that fans will certainly remember the last time they traded for an older Packers quarterback when they traded for Brett Farve and that was not a move that worked out in their favor.
Washington Commanders
If the Green Bay Packers do trade Aaron Rodgers, they almost certainly will want to send him to the AFC to try to avoid him in the playoffs if at all possible. However, if they don’t find an offer they like the Washington Commanders is another team that should be very interested and starting to formulate trade ideas.
The Commanders, similar to the Colts, have been trying to find an answer to their quarterback position and even traded with Indianapolis for Carson Wentz. Unfortunately, that did not turn out well and Wentz would get hurt during the season.
He was replaced by Taylor Heinicke, who similar to Mike White has played well however he is not a long-term solution at the most important position on the roster. A veteran like Aaron Rodgers could solidify the position for two or three years and give Washington their best chance at a deep playoff run in years with a good wide receiver duo of Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson.
San Francisco 49ers
This final team is probably a long shot and would certainly have a number of hurdles but if everything fell into place, this probably would be Aaron Rodgers’ number one choice.
The 49ers have looked like one of the best teams in the NFC and have gotten to this point with Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. Unfortunately, it will get even tougher after Garoppolo’s injury as the 49ers are going to have to rely on Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive.
The reason they have been successful is that they have an incredible defense and Kyle Shanahan runs an offensive scheme that takes the pressure off the quarterback and relies heavily on their run game.
For an Aaron Rodgers trade to happen, the 49ers would need to decide that Trey Lance isn’t ready for the starting job. This would be tough for the organization considering how much they traded in 2021 to move up to select the quarterback third overall.
They would also need to decide that Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t the quarterback that can get them a Super Bowl title. While Garoppolo has played well at times and did get them to the NFC Championship Game last year, he is a player that seems to fall into that Mike White/Taylor Heinicke category.
Finally, the 49ers would need to make a big enough offer to the Packers that would convince them to let Rodgers go to one of the best teams in their conference. This would certainly cost them numerous draft assets and probably players and considering they trade a number of picks for Trey Lance, it may not make sense for them.
However, considering the roster and how much success they have had without a top-tier quarterback it would make a great deal of sense for the San Francisco 49ers.