Let the Aaron Rodgers circus begin.
No NFL free agents can officially sign with new teams until March 16, but the biggest-name player potentially on the move will make his decision before that: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Rodgers, who won his fourth career regular-season MVP earlier this month (second all-time), isn’t a free agent but has one year left on his contract with the Packers. He and the team agreed last summer when Rodgers wasn’t sure if he wanted to play with Green Bay again that he would return for 2021 and then the Packers would deal him if he so chose.
Circle March 8 as the likely latest date for Rodgers deciding whether to stay put, force a trade, or retire – there’s no way he’s retiring after back-to-back MVP Awards. Why March 8? That’s the end of the franchise tag window for potential free agents, and Green Bay’s second-best player, All-Pro receiver Davante Adams, can become a free agent.
Most believe the Rodgers’ fate is tied to Adams’, and Rodgers has said he would make a decision by the end of the tag window so the Packers can figure out finances, etc. The Packers figure to slap the franchise tag on Adams, but they are in salary-cap hell at the moment.
One possible hint about Rodgers staying in Green Bay: The Packers brought Tom Clements out of retirement to be the team’s quarterbacks coach Rodgers is a big fan of Clements, who previously was a Green Bay offensive assistant from 2006-16.
Woodley Breakup Relevant?
It has been an interesting couple of weeks for Rodgers. He broke off his engagement with actress Shailene Woodley and then posted a very cryptic Instagram message thanking Woodley, current Packers teammates, etc. That post could have been interpreted in many ways, but Rodgers said the post simply came the end of a 12-day cleanse called Panchakarma, during which he spent time in a reflective state. “There’s nothing cryptic about gratitude,” Rodgers said.
The Denver Broncos remain the +300 favorites to be Rodgers’ team Week 1 of the 2022 season if it’s NOT Green Bay. The Broncos have made no secret about wanting to trade for Rodgers and potentially Adams, and they also hired former Green Bay offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as their head coach. Denver has a Super Bowl-caliber roster perhaps everywhere but quarterback.
Does it matter, though, that Woodley spends a lot of her time in the greater Denver area and she and Rodgers are no longer together? The San Francisco 49ers are +500 second-favorites but are expected to start 2021 No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance at QB in the 2022 season – after they trade Jimmy Garoppolo. Rodgers is from the San Francisco area.
Could Rodgers replace the retired Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Bucs? They are +700 as Rodgers’ 2022 team. Doesn’t seem likely – plus, few believe Brady is actually retired. Although he might not come back with Tampa Bay but instead the 49ers as he is also from the Bay Area.
Rodgers probably can afford to build a house in every major city in America, but he is building one in the Nashville area. The Tennessee Titans are +1600 on this prop. They have proclaimed Ryan Tannehill remains their starter, but there is no universe where Rodgers isn’t an upgrade.
Where Else Could Aaron Rodgers Play Next Season?
- Denver Broncos, +300
- New Orleans Saints, +2500
- Las Vegas Raiders, +2500
- Pittsburgh Steelers, +900
- Miami Dolphins, +1500
- Philadelphia Eagles, +2500
- Cleveland Browns, +2500
The Indianapolis Colts are incredibly interesting at +750 because they are loaded but flopped late in the 2021 season to miss the playoffs entirely. The trade for QB Carson Wentz didn’t work out, and he’ll be gone. If Rodgers is smart though, and really wants to win another Super Bowl, he’d stay in the weaker NFC. How about the Philadelphia Eagles (+2500)? Better yet: Stay with Green Bay, which is the likeliest scenario.
