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The Green Bay Packers have an extremely difficult decision to make at the quarterback position this offseason, but according to one analyst, the decision has already been made on whether to move on from Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love.
Appearing on First Things First, Nick Wright with FOX Sports talked with the other panelists about what the future holds for Rodgers and the Packers after the 2022 season. Despite the team’s late-season surge, Wright made the argument that the Packers should have at least considered playing Love to see what he’s capable of.
Along with talking about Love, Wright mentioned that he believes the Packers have already made up their mind about the future of the quarterback position, saying that he believes the team will be trading Rodgers this offseason.
“The Packers have decided that this is Aaron’s last run, that [they] are trading Aaron after this year,” Wright said. “To me, [this] absolutely opens the door…that this will be Aaron Rodgers’ last season with the Packers. That they will be trading him…It’s not a shocking, crazy idea, and it seems that Aaron thinks it’s on the board.”
Wright also mentioned the similarities between this situation and the succession plan for Brett Favre, when Rodgers sat behind him for three seasons before taking over as the starting QB. The Packers still have some time before a decision needs to be made, but the rumors continue to come up regarding the back-to-back MVP’s future.
Can the Packers Realistically Trade Aaron Rodgers?
Even if the Packers are interested in moving on from Rodgers to usher in the Jordan Love era, the financial ramifications make a potential trade much more difficult.
Prior to the 2022 season, the Packers were able to convince Rodgers to return by offering him a massive three-year, $150 million contract extension. The move was to dissuade Rodgers from retirement, but the deal has also complicated the team’s financial situation in certain scenarios.
If Rodgers were to retire without restructuring his contract after this season, the Packers would incur a dead cap hit of over $40 million for 2023. That would be the same cap hit if Rodgers was traded before June 1, but the Packers could spread that cap hit out over two seasons if he was traded after that date.
Unfortunately, a trade after June 1 becomes much more difficult. Teams with a need at quarterback will have likely already made a move for one in free agency, or taken a young and talented prospect like Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The financials alone make a trade difficult, but the Packers will also need to get Rodgers on board with the idea as he continues to hint at what his future holds.
Where Does This Leave Jordan Love?
Love has been patiently waiting for his opportunity in Green Bay, but if the Packers don’t move on from Rodgers this offseason, that could be the last straw for the former first-round pick.
The 24-year-old quarterback has reportedly considered a trade request this offseason if Rodgers returns for 2023. While Love was drafted to be Rodgers’ successor, the future Hall of Fame quarterback went on a tear immediately after the younger QB was drafted, winning MVP in both 2020 and 2021.
Now, Rodgers is starting to show signs of his age, and Love looked much more comfortable taking over under center against the Philadelphia Eagles. Replacing an injured Rodgers, Love completed six of nine passes for 113 yards and a touchdown in the loss, posting an impressive 146.8 passer rating.
While it’s unclear what the Packers intend to do from the outside, the team’s coaching staff has been around Love enough to make a more informed decision on what to do with the young quarterback in 2023 and beyond.
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