Getty Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers.
Aaron Rodgers decided to steal still the show just ahead of the NFL Draft when ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that he wants out of Green Bay. What made things even more interesting was that Pro Football Talk subsequently reported that the Las Vegas Raiders were among the teams he’d like to play for. They currently have a solid quarterback in Derek Carr, but Rodgers might be the best in the world.
No moves were made on Thursday and it’s easy to see the Packers hold out as long as they can. Raiders general manager Mike Mayock was asked about Rodgers being linked to his team but decided to keep vague.
“Aaron Rodgers is under contract to another team,” Mayock said Thursday night. “I can’t talk about him.”
Mayock has been good about playing coy when it comes to these types of rumors. The Raiders truly do like Carr so there’s no pressure to make a deal happen. That said, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Las Vegas at least called Green Bay.
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Why Does Rodgers Like Las Vegas?
Out of all of the teams that Rodgers would go to, it’s certainly interesting that the Raiders are one of them. They already a quarterback and haven’t been to the playoffs since 2016. Rodgers is used to winning so it would seem like he’d prefer to go to a team that’s ready to win.
Granted, adding the superstar quarterback would more than likely get the Raiders over the hump. With that said, the reason Rodgers would want to go to the team has a lot to do with Jon Gruden. The coach has taken a beating in recent years due to his many questionable decision. Despite many souring on the coach, it’s clear that players respect him. We saw this earlier in the offseason with Russell Wilson. Gruden may have shortcomings but he does deserve credit for being able to attract top talent.
Rodgers Trade Is Unlikely to Happen Soon
The timing of the whole Rodgers ordeal is very bad for the Packers. The last thing they want to worry about during draft weekend is their star quarterback trying to get out. Green Bay doesn’t do things as other teams do. If Rodgers wants to be traded, there’s no guarantee it’s going to happen.
“He’s our quarterback,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of Rodgers Thursday. “He’s our leader. We’ve been working through this for a little while now. I just think it might take some time. But he’s the guy that makes this thing go.”
Rodgers is a once-in-a-generation talent. He will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play football. Green Bay isn’t going to let him go without a fight. Things appear really bad right now but it’s possible to smooth it over as cooler heads prevail. Time will tell but it’s not looking good for the Packers right now. It could be time for them to start embracing their future.
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