Aaron Rodgers emerged from his darkness retreat days ago, ready to enlighten the world on his next steps. Although he has yet to share the answers, we could only surmise that he intends to continue playing football. And, if we read between the lines of some of his quotes, it appears the four-time MVP is looking for a fresh start with a new franchise.
“There’s a finality to the decision.”
At first glance, the above-noted quote could imply that Rodgers is considering retirement, but we don’t believe that’s the case.
The Green Bay Packers signal-caller was on the Aubrey Marcus Podcast to discuss his future plans. Cryptic and candid is the only way to describe the conversation, as Rodgers would allude to a decision being made, needing to have private conversations to tie up all the loose ends.
“I feel really good about the conversations that are gonna be had, that have been had, with the important people in my life that help to orient me.”
We know that Rodgers is a private individual, but if he was planning on hanging up his cleats, that likely would have only required one conversation. Let Packers GM Brian Gutekunst know he’s retiring and arrange a press conference to announce it to the world.
“It’s best for anybody who has an interest in this to make a decision sooner rather than later.”
Again, it’s unclear from this quote whether Rodgers plans to ride off into the sunset, but if we read between the lines, it appears that multiple franchises might have a stake in the decision.
The operative word from this quote is anybody. The Packers’ franchise cornerstone would like to give teams a chance to create cap space, make roster decisions ahead of free agency, and plan for the draft so that anybody who wants to can trade for him.
For those interested, acquiring Rodgers, his $31-million cap hit, and potentially four more years of playing time will require planning. If anybody is interested, those plans must be made ‘sooner rather than later’ so teams can account for free agent and draft day decisions.
The Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr fell out of favor with the Las Vegas Raiders this season. The four-time Pro Bowler had a career-low 60.8% completion percentage, with the highest interception rate (2.8%) in nine years in the league. Consequently, Carr was benched for the season’s final two weeks and was eventually released in the offseason.
No offense to Jarrett Stidham and his 926 career passing yards, but the Raiders are built to compete now. That means they need a top-tier quarterback to push them over the hump and help them compete in the 2023 season.
Should the Raiders Trade for Aaron Rodgers?
Unequivocally, yes.
Tom Brady offered the blueprint for rebuilding a career with a new franchise in the twilight years. The GOAT led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to glory in 2020, dragging Rob Gronkowski out of retirement to help him accomplish the feat.
A fresh start with a familiar target is all that was needed to help Brady cement himself as a starter in the latter part of his career.
The Raiders can offer Rodgers that familiarity in Las Vegas. Davante Adams rose to prominence in Green Bay and could be the x-factor that helps Rodgers get settled with the franchise.
Still, Las Vegas has plenty to offer, with Darren Waller, Josh Jacobs, and Hunter Renfrow insulating Rodgers and giving him a chance to bounce back after a down year.
Rodgers needs a fresh start, and it appears his darkness retreat has motivated him to ask for a new beginning.
The Raiders can offer him a soft landing spot so that Rodgers can re-establish himself as one of the all-time greats.
