The Las Vegas Raiders were really close to heading into offseason workouts with their quarterback position set. Derek Carr is coming off of a good year and the team was able to retain Marcus Mariota at a discount. However, Aaron Rodgers decided to make things interesting by naming the Raiders as one of the few teams he’d welcome a trade to, according to Pro Football Talk.
Carr is good but Rogers is legendary and coming off one of his best seasons. Add the fact that the Denver Broncos appear to be in the running for the quarterback and it’s easy to see the Raiders getting involved. In fact, ESPN’s Mike Greenbuerg believes that Jon Gruden is going to do what it takes to land Rodgers.
“It is my belief that Jon Gruden will do anything, and would give anything, to get Aaron Rodgers,” Greenberg said on ESPN’s Get Up.
“It is my belief that Jon Gruden will do ANYTHING, and would give anything, to get Aaron Rodgers.”
@espngreeny can see a potential Rodgers to the Raiders trade 👀
Media figures have been saying for years that the Raiders are going to make a change at quarterback and that just hasn’t happened. That said, this situation is a bit different. It appears very possible that Rodgers gets traded. Las Vegas would be foolish to not at least entertain the idea of adding the future Hall of Famer.
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Broncos in the Running for Rodgers
The biggest reason the Raiders need to keep an eye on the Rodgers situation is the fact that the Broncos are among the teams that the quarterback would play for. According to NFL Network’s James Palmer, there’s a “real possibility” that the reigning MVP ends up in Denver.
Aaron Rodgers to the #Broncos. It’s a fit that makes sense to a lot of people. Including ones inside the organization. My report on @nflnetwork
The Broncos did recently pull off a trade for Teddy Bridgewater but he’s only there to keep the ship afloat until a better option becomes available. Rodgers would certainly be a better option and it’s notable that they decided against taking a quarterback early in the draft. The team could be banking on the idea that Rodgers will be a Bronco within the next few months. That would catapult them to being the second-best team in the AFC West and could give Kansas City a run for their money.
Should Raiders Trade for Rodgers?
There are a lot of reasons the Raiders shouldn’t trade for Rodgers. He’s 37-years old and the team has been built with young players. It’s reasonable to believe that he’ll only be great for a few more years due to his injury history. Also, it will take a haul to land him. The Packers will want multiple first-round picks and possibly players. The Raiders haven’t made the playoffs since 2016 so they’re not exactly swimming in assets they can afford to give away.
With all that said, the most compelling reason the Raiders need to consider a trade for Rodgers is to keep him away from the Broncos. As good as Carr is, he’s not on the level of Patrick Mahomes or Rodgers. If Justin Herbert takes a leap in Year 2, Las Vegas will have the fourth-best quarterback in the AFC West. It’s very possible the Raiders will be the worst team in their division for years to come if Rodgers lands in Denver. The team needs to take that into consideration before they disregard a possible trade for the quarterback.
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Jon Gruden ‘Will Do Anything’ to Make Blockbuster Trade for Star: Analyst