Aaron Rodgers trade rumours: 49ers, Jets among 11 potential suitors if Packers seek to deal star QB in 2023

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers played three consecutive seasons with at least 13 wins and one playoff appearance from 2019 to 2021. With less than half of the 2022 campaign remaining, Green Bay isn’t even guaranteed a playoff success this time around. And Rodgers, 38, is enduring one of the toughest offensive performances of his career. It’s not inconceivable, after back-to-back offseasons in which the legendary quarterback broke away from the pack, the possibility will present itself again.

Rodgers just signed a three-year, $150 million contract extension in March. He’s likely more likely to retire or return to Green Bay in 2023. But he’s already flirted with relocation, and the Packers are financially strapped heading into the 2023 offseason, with holes flagrant in key positions. Assuming the ship isn’t righted before the end of this season, an ensuing trade could benefit both parties: Rodgers could theoretically salvage whatever’s left of his career on a better contender, and Green Bay could get away with it. sourcing draft picks for a true rebuild under general manager Brian Gutekunst.

Offloading his monster contract would pose challenges, but Rodgers has no no-trade clause in his deal, meaning he can be shipped anywhere, and his bonuses are structured in such a way that it is not irremovable. He’s also relatively affordable for a potential acquisition team, at least in 2023, when he’s slated to be $31.6 million against the salary cap — No. 10 among all QBs.

With that in mind, here’s a first look at Rodgers’ logical suitors, in case he and Green Bay agree to part ways:

Note: Salary cap figures courtesy of above the ceiling.

Denver would have been high on Rodgers’ wish list had he not joined the Packers before 2022, and the Broncos would have made a great run at A-Rod before selling the farm for Russell Wilson. The logistical hurdles would be immense, but how about swapping one aging star for another? Nathaniel Hackett could reunite with a QB who has been proven to gel with him, and Wilson could get a ground game led by Aaron Jones, with a chance to further his legacy for a historic franchise.

Marcus Mariota barely registers as a short-term starter, let alone a long-term investment. But the Falcons are competitive in a very open division, with tons of caps for 2023 ($57 million). They have proven under Arthur Smith, successor to current Packers coach Matt LaFleur in Tennessee, that they can run the ball; all they need now is a difference maker under center.

Always open to veteran QB business, they have the guns and skill defense to stay in the playoff mix. What they don’t have, as usual, is a true franchise flagger, with Carson Wentz had to be cut. Cap space is a concern, but if the respected Ron Rivera is still in charge, he could be a real draw for a longtime vet like Rodgers.

GM Jason Licht is going to crave a quick fix if Tom Brady, 45, is calling it out for good or, perhaps more likely, testing free agency in search of a final fresh start. The question is, does he have enough cap manipulations up his sleeve to make this achievable? On paper, the sunny destination would be attractive to Rodgers, who could potentially help reshape offensive philosophy and guide roster decisions, as Brady did. When healthy, they remain a contender in a very open division.

You can only win despite your young QBs for so long, right? Bill Belichick has the running game and defense to elevate the uninspiring game under center, but in 2023 he’ll also have the cap space ($48.8 million) to pursue a hit upgrade on McJones. What better way to finally recreate the Brady era than by focusing on the next best thing? Rodgers could also put his own spin on offense/personnel, allowing Belichick to devote his full attention to the ‘D’.

New York has the advantage of entering 2023 not just with a wealth of cap space ($46 million) but with the knowledge that new coach Brian Daboll is capable of maximizing personnel. Rodgers is an avowed fan of Josh Allen, whose rise passed under Daboll in Buffalo, and would go from one historic franchise to another. The giants, on the other hand, got decent growth from daniel jones in 2022, but would be a real contender with superior playmakers under center and outside.

As respected as he may be in the organization, Derek Carr is extremely consumable past 2022 and may well be ready for new landscapes after what’s shaping up to be another lost season. Rodgers, meanwhile, established chemistry with his best investment, Davante Adamsand would move closer to his west coast home.

Ryan Tannehill does his job well for a team that never dies, but he owes more than even Rodgers in 2023, and another early playoff exit would seem to confirm his cap. A-Rod kinda likes him Mike Vrabel, who has yet to introduce a superstar to the QB despite having proven playoff experience. LaFleur grew out of this organization. And Rodgers would surely benefit from an attack that relies heavily on the bruised legs of Derrick Henrywithout forgetting a division open annually.

Geno Smith is one of this year’s best stories, but at 32, approaching free agency, he’ll be a gamble given that 2022 is his only productive season as a starter. Seattle wouldn’t necessarily want to get rid of an aging QB (Russell Wilson) just to add another one a year later, but 71-year-old Pete Carroll is likely interested in getting a fight sooner rather than later. It has other parts… Kenneth Walker III, DK Metcalf, Tyler Locket — to help. He has plenty of cap space ($30.6 million) to use, and even more draft picks from the Russ deal. And GM John Schneider has a big Packers connection; he was Ted Thompson’s main assistant when Green Bay drafted Rodgers, and he was the director of football operations when A-Rod took over from Brett Favre and won his only superbowl.

second-year QB Zach Wilson is already on thin ice both on the field and in the locker room, proving to be the weakest link in an otherwise feisty playoff prospect. They’re assembled in all places other than below center, which makes a veteran upgrade particularly enticing. Coach Robert Saleh is a respected voice who has personally adapted well to A-Rod since his time at the 49ers. And offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, a disciple of Kyle Shanahan, is the younger brother of Rodgers coach Matt in Green Bay.

1.49ers

It may seem a little light to Jimmy Garoppolowho had a really underrated performance replacing Trey Lance Again. Jimmy G, in fact, may well be set to retain his QB1 duties in 2023. But he’ll be a free agent first, and with Lance still a total unknown, why wouldn’t Kyle Shanahan explore this pairing? ? He’s certainly done that before, calling the Packers over Rodgers’ availability ahead of 2021. San Francisco is built to fight, with guns on both sides of the ball. And Rodgers would surely jump at the chance, growing up a 49ers fan in California and wishing San Francisco had drafted him in 2005.