Getty Could Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers play elsewhere in 2023?
The Green Bay Packers are reeling after their fifth straight loss, and with the team nearly eliminated from playoff contention, general manager Brian Gutekunst will have to start thinking about the future of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
With the Packers (3-6) now having a 5% chance of making the playoffs and Rodgers not playing like his usual self, Kenneth Teape of NFL Analysis Network suggested an offseason trade that would send the back-to-back MVP to a new team.
“One team that could be in the market for Rodgers is the New Orleans Saints,” Teape wrote. “Despite being 3-5, New Orleans has a shot at making a postseason run this season because of the ineptitude of the NFC South division. … Finding more consistency at the quarterback position would be nice as well, as the Saints gain yards and score with the best of them, but ball security has been lacking.”
Teape’s trade proposal calls for the Saints sending to the Packers their first-round picks in 2025 and 2026 along with third and fourth-round picks in 2023 and 2024.
“Green Bay would have to wait for a little to reap the benefits of this trade, but by that time, they should know what they have in Jordan Love,” Teape wrote. “If he proves a capable starter, they are stocked with draft capital to fill the roster around him. If he struggles, they have the pieces to make a move for a quarterback.
Aaron Rodgers Isn’t Playing Like Himself
Even after trading away star wide receiver Davante Adams, the Packers were expected to be a playoff contender because they had the reigning league MVP under center. However, it’s clear that Rodgers isn’t playing at the same level that he’s used to. Through nine games, Rodgers has thrown just 14 touchdowns against seven interceptions for a passer rating of only 89.0. If that rating holds up, it would be the lowest in his 15 years as a full-time starter, while his seven interceptions are already the most he’s had in one season since 2016.
There are plenty of reasons for his drop-off in play. Rodgers has had to play behind an erratic offensive line dealing with absences of stars David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins. Rodgers has already been sacked 18 times this year, putting him on pace for the most sacks in a season since 2019.
Injuries at the wide receiver position are also making Rodgers’ job even more difficult. New wideout Sammy Watkins was placed on injured reserve earlier this season and hasn’t been effective since his return. Meanwhile, Randall Cobb is currently on IR, and rookie Romeo Doubs is expected to also be placed on the list after suffering a high-ankle sprainNovember 6 against Detroit.
It could also be that Rodgers’ body is finally starting to give out on him. The future Hall of Fame quarterback will be 39 in December, and at some point he will no longer be able to rely on his arm talent and athleticism to keep making plays.
Could Aaron Rodgers Retire?
If the Packers miss the playoffs and Gutekunst starts having conversations about trading the star QB, then there’s a very real chance that Rodgers could decide to retire rather than play for another team.
Rodgers acknowledged this offseason that he had strongly contemplated retirement, but the Packers offered him a massive contract extension to keep him in Green Bay. Given his age and drop in play, it seems he could decide to hang up his cleats after the 2022 season.