Why Aaron Rodgers leaving Packers would be ultimate move for both parties?
The rumor mill keeps churning on about Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
Will he stay in Green Bay or move to greener pastures? That's the question on everyone's lips, and as far as we know, we're no closer to resolving that conundrum. If Rodgers is to be believed, even he has not made up his mind yet.
It's natural that this story is piquing everyone's interest, as he is a four-time NFL MVP and former Super Bowl champion quarterback. Cheeseheads have gotten fat on a diet of Brett Favre followed by Aaron Rodgers over the last 30 years and are now suddenly facing an anxious wait to learn more about their quarterback's future.
However, it might be best for both parties to take a clean break. We lay out some of the reasons why.
Can Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay Packers benefit from a divorce?
While the possibility of contemplating a separation might be painful, Packers fans might want to follow along.
It's true that Aaron Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP. Two of those awards have come in the last two seasons before 2022. However, in that period, he never went to the Super Bowl, never mind lifting the Lombardi trophy. Green Bay is known as Titletown for a reason, but that has not materialized in the last few years.
Rodgers has failed to make home advantage count in back-to-back playoff games in his MVP-winning seasons in the recent past and failed this year to beat the Detroit Lions at home to clinch a postseason berth. While it would be ludicrous to blame the Packers' failings on him, he has certainly not covered himself in glory.
The Packers have also let him down throughout his career with questionable draft picks, as well as saddling him with Mike McCarthy for the better part of his career. Then there's the great saga of trading up to draft Jordan Love as his backup quarterback, instead of getting more offensive weapons to land Rodgers another Super Bowl.
That rift never seemed to have completely healed. We find ourselves every season talking about Aaron Rodgers not feeling respected, wanting away or contemplating retirement. Now is the time for the Packers to put their money where their mouth is and ride or sink with Jordan Love.
He has been a back-up for three years now and will want away if he does not get a chance to start games this season. This is the same amount of time Aaron Rodgers also spent behind Brett Favre. Better to gamble on the future with a young receiving corps than to keep paying an aging quarterback.
There's also the cap situation. Moving his substantial cap hit away would make it much easier for Green Bay. They're projected to be $13 million below the cap coming into next season. While we do not know the exact amount of cap hit, given Rodgers has been open to restructuring his contract, it would still be a sizeable amount.
Trading Aaron Rodgers not only makes sense for Green Bay, but it makes sense for him as well.
As previously documented, he has been let down many a times by the Packers brass as well, who have failed to fully support on the field and on the sidelines. He could now go to a team that's a ready contender and not stay in Green Bay, where they might require a rebuild.
Going to a team like the New York Jets, who had one of the top three defenses in the NFL last season, might give him that chance. He could link up with Nathaniel Hackett, his former offensive coordinator, over there as well.
Rodgers could also go to the Las Vegas Raiders and play with Davante Adams again. Going to any of these places would give him a better chance of winning now, which is the last thing he wants to do before he retires.