NFL trade rumors: Should the Denver Broncos go all-in on Packers icon Aaron Rodgers?
There's drama, and then there's the offseason drama around Aaron Rodgers, which took yet another twist with reports out of Colorado that the reigning MVP wants to play for the Denver Broncos in 2021.
KOA Radio’s Benjamin Allbright announced during a Monday interview with ESPN Cleveland that Rodgers “wants to be” in Denver and that the Broncos now have “60-40” odds of trading for the unhappy Packers quarterback.
The Denver Broncos need the three-time NFL MVP
The Denver Broncos have not been able to find a quality starting QB since Peyton Manning retired after winning the Super Bowl in 2016.
As they head into this year’s training camp, the Broncos have Drew Lock and veteran Teddy Bridgewater on the roster in the QB room. The two will battle it out for the starting job unless the franchise can complete a trade for Rodgers before the season starts.
The Packers quarterback would be a significant upgrade from Lock and Bridgewater. It makes sense, then, that the Denver Broncos would consider going all-in for a blockbuster trade.
Packers firm on keeping Rodgers
The biggest issue for the Denver Broncos in their pursuit of Aaron Rodgers is that his current team, the Green Bay Packers, has shown no signs of softening its stance on trading the quarterback.
Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur has been vocal in his desire for Rodgers to return to the team this season. Meanwhile, his Packers teammates have remained supportive of their star QB.
Rodgers still mum on offield drama
Amid the considerable speculation surrounding his future, Aaron Rodgers has mostly remained silent on his issues with the Green Bay Packers.
He said the following to departing ESPN host Kenny Mayne in May:
“With my situation, look it’s never been about the draft pick, picking Jordan [Love],” Rodgers told Mayne. “I love Jordan; he’s a great kid. [We’ve had] a lot of fun to work together. Love the coaching staff, love my teammates, love the fan base in Green Bay. An incredible 16 years. It’s just kind of about a philosophy and maybe forgetting that it is about the people that make the thing go. It’s about character, it’s about culture, it’s about doing things the right way.”
The quarterback briefly mentioned the offseason while promoting his upcoming golf match against Tom Brady this week.
“It’s been one of those quiet offseasons you dream about, where you can kind of just go through your process on your own, quietly. And that’s all you can ask for as an older player in the league and someone who’s been around for a long time and just enjoys that time to yourself, to just relax, to not be bothered, to not have any obligations or anything going on.”
So far, Rodgers has not mentioned the Denver Broncos publicly, and the speculation surrounding the Packers quarterback is only bound to intensify this offseason.