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The exact number of potential trade partners for quarterback Aaron Rodgers is unknown outside the Green Bay Packers’ front office, but two things are likely: The number of suitors is significant, and it might be time to add another middling franchise to the list.
The Miami Dolphins have produced two consecutive winning seasons with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, 23, but have failed to reach the postseason both times. After hiring offensive-minded head coach Mike McDaniel this offseason, the Dolphins should push for an upgrade at quarterback, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report suggested. That push could include an aggressive trade offer for Rodgers, should the Packers decide to make the two-time reigning MVP available.
“Miami has the draft capital to make the Packers an intriguing offer, as last year’s Trey Lance trade leaves the team in possession of two first-rounders in 2023. The cap space is also there as well,” Davenport wrote in a column published February 24. “Miami’s $60.2 million in wiggle room leads the league, and a restructure and/or cut or two could free up significantly more. The Dolphins could also then flip Tagovailoa to another quarterback-needy team to get back some lost draft capital.”
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Dolphins Draft Package Would Help Packers Rebuild Immediately After Rodgers’ Departure
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GettyRodgers (left) and backup quarterback Jordan Love.
The Dolphins made a deal with the San Francisco 49ers to swap picks in the 2021 NFL draft, moving from No. 3 to No. 12 so that the Niners could draft Lance. Davenport suggested that Miami could repurpose the extra first-round picks they got from San Francisco and package them with three others selections to have a real shot at acquiring Rodgers.
The package the Packers would receive from the Dolphins as part of the proposal is as follows:
- 2022: first-round pick (by way of 49ers); second-round pick
- 2023: first-round pick (by way of 49ers); first-round pick; third-round pick
In return, the Dolphins would receive Rodgers along with a fourth-round pick from Green Bay in 2023.
The deal, Davenport contended, would be difficult for Green Bay to turn its back on if Rodgers actively pushes for a trade this offseason.
“It’s essentially an instant rebuild for the Packers — the opportunity to remake the franchise around Love in short order,” he wrote.
Rodgers, too, presumably could be interested in a move to Miami considering the quality of the Dolphins’ roster and the team’s recent success. Davenport also noted the sunny climate in one of the country’s top media markets and Florida’s lack of state income tax.
Movement on Rodgers Situation in Green Bay Expected Within Days
GettyRodgers is still under contract with the Packers.
Rodgers, 38, was expected to make an announcement about his playing future within a matter of days, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini.
“Aaron Rodgers will be informing the Packers of his decision soon, per league sources,” Russini wrote on February 24. “I’m told there are multiple teams with offers on the table but, of course, nothing can happen until the Green Bay Packers allow a trade.”
However, even if the quarterback wanted out of Green Bay wouldn’t necessarily mean he would get his way. Rob Demovsky of ESPN reported on February 23 that Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst never promised Rodgers a trade following this season, as was previously reported by Jay Glazer of Fox Sports in August 2021.
Rodgers remains under contract with the Packers through 2022, which means Green Bay controls his future — for now. But Rodgers has enormous trade value and will be able to walk for nothing in the 2023 offseason if the Packers fail to extend or re-sign him. His contract also comes with a $46.5 million cap hit, while Green Bay began the offseason facing the unenviable task of slashing or restructuring approximately $50 million in salary to meet the league’s cap requirements.
To make everything work, the Packers would need to restructure Rodgers’ contract to lessen its financial hit this season, while also extending him on a long-term deal the QB would find favorable. Russini reported last week that Rodgers was looking for the richest contract in NFL history, at around $50 million per season, which would complicate what Green Bay could offer to the likes of All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams and tight end Robert Tonyan — both of whom hit free agency this offseason.
Rodgers also has said he has no desire to be part of a rebuild, presumably meaning he wants his top targets back if he stays in Green Bay. But considering all of the factors — the Packers’ cap situation, Rodgers’ reported contract demands and the fact that the franchise has fallen short of the Super Bowl in each of the last three seasons despite a No. 1 or No. 2 seed and a bye each time — it appears as though the four-time MVP’s return to Green Bay is a precarious and difficult proposition, at best.
If it turns out the Packers can’t feasibly bring Rodgers back, then a trade with Miami could prove highly beneficial to both sides of the deal.