7 Aaron Rodgers locations that make sense, ranked

Might Aaron Rodgers’ days with the Inexperienced Bay Packers be really coming to a detailed?

In response to one long-time Packers observer, that’s certainly the case.

New reporting from Bob McGinn holds that the Packers have all however moved on from Rodgers, and if the veteran quarterback is again in Inexperienced Bay subsequent 12 months, it will solely be because the backup to Jordan Love. Which may come as a shock, however hypothesis continues to mount relating to Rodgers’ future.

And with the quarterback about to embark on 4 days in a darkish room to make a decision about his future, now’s maybe the perfect time to consider what might occur when he emerges from the darkness.

Listed here are seven choices for Rodgers subsequent season, ranked.

7. Retirement/Spotify

There may be all the time the choice that Rodgers decides to stroll away from the sport.

If, after a couple of days in darkness, he chooses the retirement path, is it that tough to imagine that his subsequent cease can be in a podcast studio?

Rodgers’ weekly appearances on the Pat McAfee Present grew to become must-watch occasions within the soccer media area, and we’ve realized over the previous few seasons that the quarterback has some reasonably attention-grabbing ideas on life generally. He additionally just lately made an look on an astrology podcast and talked about his personal signal, in addition to former teammate Davante Adams.

Extra on that later.

Nonetheless, if Rodgers might emerge from the darkness and decides to depart soccer behind, and grow to be a podcaster like everybody else.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a tough staff to pin down as we enter the offseason. The departure of Tom Brady, and their tough wage cap place, makes them a main rebuild candidate. Provided that it’s unlikely — most unlikely — that Rodgers desires to be a part of a rebuild, that will take the Buccaneers off the listing.

Nevertheless, they did make the playoffs final season, thanks partially to life within the NFC South. If the Buccaneers resolve to piece issues collectively for yet one more run, Rodgers could possibly be the reply to their quarterback wants.

Nonetheless, there are two potential roadblocks, and they’re massive ones. First, it’s onerous to imagine that the Packers would commerce Rodgers to an NFC staff — final month ESPN’s Adam Schefter posited that he didn’t suppose there was “any approach” Inexperienced Bay would commerce him inside the convention — and the Buccaneers would make quite a lot of strikes to get in compliance with the cap, strikes that may make Tampa Bay a much less fascinating vacation spot ultimately.

5. Washington Commanders

The Commanders have a brand new offensive coordinator. On Friday afternoon, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Community reported that the group was finalizing a cope with Eric Bieniemy to grow to be their subsequent assistant head coach/offensive coordinator.

May Rodgers be the subsequent quarterback Bieniemy will get to educate?

Once more, there are a couple of sticking factors. First, the concept that the Packers would commerce Rodgers inside the NFC. Second, the plan coming into the offseason for Washington was to experience with second-year passer Sam Howell as their quarterback, given the failed Carson Wentz experiment.

However that is Rodgers we’re speaking about. Placing these plans on maintain, even for a season, is perhaps interesting to Washington.

The Commanders have expertise on each side of the ball. What was lacking was consistency on the quarterback place. Rodgers actually brings that to the desk.

4. Tennessee Titans

It’s time to depart the NFC behind, and begin taking a look at choices within the AFC.

The primary choice would possibly simply be the Tennessee Titans.

Tennessee does have an out below the phrases of present quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s contract. The Titans might save $27 million in cap area if Tannehill is waived, or traded, after June 1st. Whereas Tennessee drafted Malik Willis final season, they turned to Joshua Dobbs for his or her closing recreation of the common season, a must-win recreation in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the event that they needed to make the playoffs.

Past the potential want at quarterback in Tennessee, a match between Rodgers and the Titans is sensible in some NFL circles. Latest reporting from The Athletic cites two NFL executives who level to the Titans as a vacation spot for Rodgers, calling Tennessee “extra his tempo.”

And in the event you take a step again and take a look at the remainder of the AFC South, whereas the Jaguars look aggressive heading into 2023, each the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans will seemingly be beginning rookie quarterbacks sooner or later throughout 2023, if not immediately in Week 1. There is perhaps a window for the Titans to make a fast turnaround within the division that’s not believable with another potential AFC touchdown spots.

3. New York Jets

Talking of which.

Once we carried out this train for Derek Carr, the New York Jets have been listed as the highest touchdown spot for his companies.

Why are they solely third for Rodgers?

Effectively, as a result of there are two higher choices for him, at the least from the place I sit.

However nonetheless, the Jets are an intriguing touchdown spot for any quarterback this offseason. They have been competent quarterback play away from a playoff spot — and perhaps much more — final season, and the Jets have a ton of younger expertise on the roster. They’ve Defensive Rookie of the 12 months Sauce Gardner on one aspect of the sector, and Offensive Rookie of the 12 months Garrett Wilson on the opposite.

And let’s not neglect that Breece Corridor was within the combine for that award himself earlier than his damage on the finish of October.

There may be additionally the Nathaniel Hackett issue, given the earlier relationship between the 2 throughout their time in Inexperienced Bay. Though, that didn’t precisely work for the Denver Broncos final offseason.

Would Rodgers need to head to the Massive Apple? Would he need to play within the AFC East? Would he actually comply with the identical path as his predecessor in Inexperienced Bay and play for the Jets after leaving the Packers?

These are more durable inquiries to reply, they usually open the door for 2 different choices.

2. Inexperienced Bay Packers

I perceive, the framing of this piece is that the Packers are prepared to maneuver on from Rodgers, and McGinn’s reporting holds that if he comes again to Inexperienced Bay it will be as a backup to Love. All of that makes the concept of Rodgers returning to Inexperienced Bay appear far-fetched.

However the purpose why I feel a return to Inexperienced Bay is believable is that this. Through the NFL season I make a weekly radio look on Wisconsin airwaves, on the Invoice Michaels Present, and every Wednesday we might speak about Rodgers, the Packers, and all issues NFL. And because the season was winding down, and Inexperienced Bay was placing themselves again within the playoff combine, one thing began to click on for the Packers, and in my thoughts as properly.

Rodgers appeared like he was having enjoyable once more.

And I keep in mind telling Invoice a couple of instances that even when they ended up falling wanting the playoffs, Rodgers’ newfound chemistry with the younger receivers in Inexperienced Bay, together with Christian Watson, would possibly repay in one other approach. Not with a playoff berth, however with giving Rodgers a purpose to return again for yet one more 12 months. He was having enjoyable once more, and getting on the identical web page with the younger Packers receivers, and he now had proof of idea in entrance of him, for the way it might all work in Inexperienced Bay.

How he might win one other title for the Packers, surpassing Favre and matching Bart Starr.

I’m sticking to that concept for a short while longer.

1. Las Vegas Raiders

Nevertheless, chemistry exists elsewhere for Rodgers, in Las Vegas with former teammate Davante Adams.

The Raiders do look like the perfect touchdown spot, as a result of confronted with the prospects of enjoying Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs twice a season, in addition to the Los Angeles Chargers and Justin Herbert, together with the Broncos and Sean Payton/Russell Wilson, a rookie that the Raiders might draft within the first spherical would possibly maintain Las Vegas chasing these three groups for the close to future.

Rodgers and Adams reunited, nonetheless, makes it a a lot totally different dialogue.

Nonetheless, is that this the trail Josh McDaniels prefers? We noticed how his time in Denver noticed Jay Cutler depart city, and now the primary 12 months of his Vegas residency ends with Carr leaving Sin Metropolis. Does McDaniels need to strive it once more with a 3rd veteran, or is he on the lookout for the rookie to draft and develop?