Getty Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers scrambles during the 2nd quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Aaron Rodgers is expected to announce his future plans any day now, and one AFC team is ready to pounce if he asks the Green Bay Packers for a trade.
Of all the teams interested in pursuing Rodgers this offseason — and there are a bevy of them, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini — the Denver Broncos are the franchise that can claim perhaps the longest period of sustained interest in the Packers quarterback. Broncos general manager George Paton tried to deal for the two-time reigning NFL MVP last offseason, when Rodgers first pushed the Green Bay front office for a trade. Now, it appears Paton may get a second chance. But if he does, don’t expect Rodgers to come cheap.
Not all trade offers are created equal, but Denver has more to offer Green Bay than most. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report on February 24 published a list of three “realistic” trade offers for Rodgers that he asserted should have been on the table more than a week ago. First on that list was a proposal that would send the Packers a first-round pick and a second-round pick in 2022, as well as a first-round selection and a fourth-round selection in 2023. The deal would also include dynamic wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, a former first-rounder himself, and quarterback Drew Lock. In return, Green Bay would send Rodgers and a 2022 fourth-round pick to Denver.
“It’s no secret that the Broncos are desperate to get better at quarterback — it’s a search that has been going on from the moment Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset after Super Bowl 50. So far, that search has been mostly a mess,” Davenport wrote. “Trading for Rodgers cleans up that mess and then some — and transforms the Broncos from AFC West also-ran to legitimate Super Bowl contender in the blink of an eye.”
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Hypothetical Broncos Trade Package Fulfills Packers’ Suspected Requirements
GettyAaron Rodgers, of the Green Bay Packers, drops back to pass during a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on January 2, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Packers aren’t looking to trade Rodgers, but certainly no one could accuse Green Bay of being fleeced if they managed to bring back a return like the one suggested above. In fact, Davenport said that the hypothetical offer from the Broncos fulfills all of the requirements the Packers are suspected to have desired in return for their quarterback just one season ago.
“Per Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, there was speculation a year ago that Green Bay was looking to get three first-rounders for Rodgers,” Davenport wrote. “Packaging Jeudy with Denver’s next two firsts essentially fulfills that requirement, and there’s a Day 2 pick this year and Lock (who could push Jordan Love or at least back him up in 2022) thrown in for good measure.”
“Adding Jeudy could also allow the Packers to potentially franchise tag and trade Davante Adams for more draft capital,” Davenport added.
Rodgers’ Trade Value High Enough to Demand Starting QB Along With Draft Picks
GettyQuarterback Aaron Rodgers, of the Green Bay Packers.
While Robinson’s report provides valuable insight into how the Packers valued Rodgers last offseason, the situation has inarguably changed.
Rodgers is now a four-time league MVP. Even at 38 years old with a 17th NFL season under his belt, it can be argued that the QB’s continued excellence has pushed his trade value even higher than it was a year ago.
Rodgers’ specific value to the Packers organization has likely also increased, as Green Bay again fell short of a Super Bowl appearance despite earning their third consecutive playoff bye through Wildcard Weekend last season. This Packers regime is desperate to bring home the franchise’s fifth championship ring, and Rodgers is unequivocally their best chance to achieve that lofty goal.
Rodgers can force the team’s hand due to his $46.5 million salary cap hit on a contract that expires following the 2022 season. If Green Bay does end up in the position of needing to trade Rodgers, they may well want a young quarterback — or at least one of a starting caliber — in return for the sacrifice.
Herein lies the biggest flaw in any potential offer from the Broncos, as Lock simply is not that player. Over the course of his three-year career, Lock has started 21 games and earned an 8-13 record. He’s completed just 59.3% of his passes for 4,740 yards and 25 TDs compared with 20 INTs.
While worse options under center certainly exist throughout the NFL, Lock does not inspire visions of hoisting a Lombardi Trophy. That fact alone could be enough to dissuade the Packers from dealing with Broncos and to turn their eyes elsewhere, despite the draft capital Denver is capable of offering.