If the rumors permeating the league are true, the Green Bay Packers will try to trade Aaron Rodgers during the offseason. Rodgers may be, without the many retirements, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Brett Favre. It appears he will not spend the end of his career with the Packers.
But which NFL teams should trade for the man who was just the league MVP the previous two seasons? It could take some serious money moving to make a few of these deals work. However, each of these teams could be serious playoff contenders with Rodgers at the helm.
Teams That Should Trade for Aaron Rodgers
In theory, arguably, one-third of the teams in the NFL should be interested in Rodgers’ services. Teams that already have good options at the position don’t have to worry about it, and rebuilding teams shouldn’t even consider it.
But there are a decent amount of potential openings around the league, depending on how teams want to attack 2023. The Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, and Tennessee Titans are among the teams that should consider trading for Rodgers.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are in an interesting spot. They haven’t spent significant draft capital on a quarterback recently, but they believe they may have a future franchise QB with Desmond Ridder. The young QB from Cincinnati is the athletic mold of a modern QB, but he needs more seasoning before he’s ready to have the Falcons consistently competing in the NFC South.
And the South is ripe for the picking. The Buccaneers are deep in the red and already regressing. The Saints are also deep in the red and don’t have a viable option at QB, while the Panthers are also still a QB away.
Rodgers won’t offer much in the form of mentorship towards Ridder, but he would offer a high-caliber bridge for when the young QB is ready, and Atlanta could take advantage of a weak division. Rodgers would also have two incredibly talented pass catchers to throw to as well.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have the ninth pick in the draft, which probably won’t be high enough to draft one of the class’ top two or even three quarterbacks.
While Rodgers wouldn’t give them a long-term option, he would be a high-end QB on a team with a talented young defense, an improved OL, and more than enough weapons on the outside to have offensive success with Frank Reich.
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David Tepper is a relatively new owner who could look to make a splash like Rodgers to pair with his new coaching staff and second-year general manager. With the momentum Carolina seemed to be gaining at the end of the season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them pursue the 39-year-old QB.
Las Vegas Raiders
Jarrett Stidham isn’t the future of the Raiders, and they might also miss out on an opportunity to draft the QB prospect in the current class that they love with the seventh pick. Because the Raiders have a roster full of star players and very little depth, getting near-elite quarterback play could have them competing for one of the AFC Wild Card spots.
A trade to the Raiders would also reunite Rodgers with Davante Adams, which would be a storybook finish for Rodgers’ career. The move would also put Rodgers, the previous generation’s most physically-gifted passer, with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, two of the league’s current athletic marvels.
New York Jets
All season we begged the Jets to find simply competent QB play. If they had figured out that one position, they’d have been not only a playoff team but a true danger to the rest of a talented AFC.
The Jets’ offensive roster is a gem of young talents. Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore, Breece Hall, Michael Carter, and Corey Davis make for an outstanding unit.
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It appears everyone but owner Woody Johnson is ready to move on from Zach Wilson. No matter what they choose to do, they don’t have to move on from Wilson. The young gunslinger would have some time to sharpen his physical tools to get where the organization believed he could be when they drafted him No. 2 overall.
Tennessee Titans
Mike Vrabel isn’t used to losing. He didn’t do much of it during his 14-year NFL career, and until this past season, Vrabel hadn’t had a losing season as an NFL head coach.
Ryan Tannehill isn’t necessarily a bad NFL QB, but he’s not enough to consistently take a team to the next level as a passer. Depending on who ends up being hired as the Titans’ offensive coordinator, Tannehill may be an awful scheme fit, given his limitations as a passer.
Rodgers has no such limitations, and Malik Willis doesn’t look ready to play significant snaps at the NFL level yet. While the Jaguars look like they may be the division’s best team for the foreseeable future, if the Titans’ defense remains healthy and they trade for Rodgers, they may be strong enough to steal a division title over the next few seasons.