Chicago Bears cannot celebrate the end of the Aaron Rodgers saga yet

Aaron Rodgers has tormented the Chicago Bears for his entire career, but just because he is out of the division doesn’t mean the Windy City can throw a parade just yet.

Ding-dong, the witch is dead! Which old witch? The wicked witch! Ding-dong, the witch is dead; the wicked witch is dead! In this case, Aaron Rodgers is gone.

The official announcement that the longtime tormentor of the Chicago Bears is now headed east to the Big Apple as a member of the New York Jets has fans of the orange and blue faithful ordering stacks of deep-dish pizza and roast beef sandwiches, all while running to the streets of Michigan Avenue and channeling their inner munchkin.

Indeed, this would be a time to celebrate. No longer will No. 12 reign supreme of the NFC North, and the division, despite being won by the Vikings, is still up for grabs. Chicago finally has a chance to fulfill what Ryan Poles said about taking over the North and never giving it back. The skies have opened, right? It would seem that way.

But then comes the realization that not everything is all well. Yes, the wet blanket is being draped on the celebration. It’s not as if the Packers just released Rodgers and got nothing in return. The folks up north received a decent package, including draft capital that, if conditions go through this season, could be a cause to pause.

Yes, Green Bay has a legitimate chance of landing a 2024 1st round pick that, given the Jets’ history despite this news, has a chance to be either in the low 20s or possibly in the top 10. That latter alone could cause problems. Not to mention, Green Bay still has its own 2024 1st rounder.

Suppose Green Bay and New York are both terrible. In that case, the likelihood of landing USC’s Caleb Williams to replace Jordan Love and All-Star Marvin Harrison Jr to help him out is high and would continue to add to the misery the Windy City has endured.

On the flip side, if Love proves to be the next great Green Bay quarterback, then those picks could be used on elite talent to enhance his development. In other words, Green Bay may have gotten rid of Rodgers, but this is far from a situation that warrants a celebration of any kind.

The Chicago Bears cannot celebrate the end of the Aaron Rodgers era yet; the real test has just begun.

Why can’t we celebrate? Why must there always be pessimistic behavior? Look, it’s natural to celebrate the end of torture but forgive me for bringing this up. This is eerily similar to when Aaron Rodgers took over for Brett Favre.

When Favre was shipped off to New York, Bears fans had to be feeling relief that he was gone, and now Rodgers was in town, and they would be able to thrive. Not. Instead, it was much worse. Now, Rodgers is out of the picture. Additionally, Green Bay got greater value in return for Rodgers than they did for Favre.

The Packers received a conditional fourth-round pick, which turned into a third because Favre wound up playing 50% of the snaps that season with Gang Green. Rodgers? A pick swap, a few extras, and that conditional pick that is going to be monitored like the New York Stock Exchange, i.e., very closely.

Back in Green Bay, it’s now Love’s turn to lead the team. Is this a sign that Love will become the next Hall of Fame quarterback for Green Bay and just torture the Bears more? No. That is not what is being written, in case anyone is actually reading this in its entirety, which rarely happens these days. What is being said is to be careful what you wish for.

There is the possibility that Justin Fields will become that guy, take over the division, and make it his kingdom. That is possible, but he hasn’t shown that so far, and Bears fans have to understand that. He’s not a bust; that’s confirmed. Anyone who believes otherwise is blinded by hatred, which is a common theme in today’s world. Having said that, Justin Fields is not that guy yet.

Celebrate if you wish, Chicago Bears fans. Aaron Rodgers is gone and will no longer torment you anymore. But the celebration should be put on hold. The Bears are still too far away from being able to stick out their chests and gloat. They had the worst record in the league last year for a reason. Focus on building your roster up and building around Fields.

Once you achieve the highest levels of success and Green Bay is floundering; by all means, gloat. For now, stay humble. It’s the best thing to do.