Getty Quarterback Aaron Rodgers
Rob Demovsky has been covering the Green Bay Packers for nearly 25 years, and remains one of the most reliable and knowledgeable reporters on the beat. Thus, when he says something about the team, it’s certainly worth listening to.
In an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show June 10, Demovsky spoke about the contentious situation with the Packers and reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers, and he touched on recent comments by current and former team executives.
When Eisen asked him why, in a Q&A with fans on the team’s official website, Packers CEO Mark Murphy responded to an unrelated question by stating the situation with Rodgers has divided the fan base, Demovsky had a very interesting reply.
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Demovsky on Murphy: Maybe He Was Sending a Message
Noting there was likely nothing good that could come out of a team’s CEO talking publicly about a divided fan base, Demovsky discussed Murphy’s motivations for making that particular statement:
My initial response is: Why in the world would he bring that up? Like from a PR standpoint, why would you even acknowledge that? That was my initial reaction, and then I sat there and thought about it for a few more minutes, and I said to myself: ‘Well, maybe he did it as a way of sending a message to Rodgers.’ Like: ‘Hey — I know the one thing you care deeply about is your legacy here and what the fans think of you, and now I’m gonna send you a message that, hey, not everyone is behind you in this.’ And to me, that could be the only reason that Mark Murphy would do that in that forum unprompted.
Rodgers has yet to report to any organized team activities, and Green Bay seems primed to move forward with Jordan Love, if necessary, so the future Hall of Fame quarterback’s future remains a huge question mark.
‘Decent Chance’ Rodgers Gets Traded in 2022, Says Demovsky
Eisen also brought up his recent interview with Andrew Brandt, who was Vice President of Player Finance and General Counsel in Green Bay when Rodgers was drafted. Brandt witnessed the transition from Brett Favre to Rodgers, and told Eisen he thinks Rodgers will wind up sitting 2021 out and getting traded the following year.
Demovsky agrees:
I think there’s a decent chance of that. If you trade him now, there’s no real difference in the value that you’re going to get, (where)as if you trade him in February, March or April, of next year? Combined with the fact — let’s use Denver as an example. Let’s say you trade him to Denver right now. Denver’s probably got a decent team as long as they’ve got a quarterback, they probably win, what? Ten, 11, 12 games with Rodgers, all of the sudden, that draft pick is in the 20s, right? … Whereas if you wait until the end of the season, Denver has another five win, six win season, and you make the trade before next year’s draft — now you’re picking in the top 10.
Like it or not, what Demovsky is saying makes too much sense. Rodgers seems more dug in than ever, and Green Bay players have been lauding the play of Love recently, with a few apparently growing impatient with Rodgers and his current holdout. We’ll see what happens, but as of now, this looks like the most likely outcome.
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