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Aaron Rodgers Trade Rumors: NFL Insiders Convinced Packers Prefer to Move on from QB

Scott Polacek

Aaron Rodgers' future with the Green Bay Packers remains up in the air.

"League sources are convinced that the franchise prefers to move on from Rodgers, just as it once did with Brett Favre," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. "Those sources also believe that Rodgers is well aware of the Packers' feelings on the situation."

Schefter deemed Green Bay as a team "at a crossroads" financially.

It is projected to be more than $16 million over the salary cap for next season, has a number of impending free agents and could save $16 million by designating running back Aaron Jones as a post-June 1 cut.

And then there is Rodgers, who is scheduled to make $59.5 million in guaranteed money this year and $49.25 million in 2024. However, $58.3 million of that money for 2023 is structured as an option bonus, which can be exercised from March 15 until right before the season opener in September.

That provides time for a potential trade, and Rodgers said he was "open to all honest and direct conversations" regarding a move during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (h/t Schefter).

This is far from the first offseason in which Rodgers' future with the Packers was unclear. There have been retirement rumors multiple times, but to this point, he has always returned to the only NFL team he has ever known.

Green Bay has benefitted from that during a Hall of Fame career that includes a Super Bowl title, four MVPs and 10 Pro Bowl selections, but Rodgers is also 39 years old, commands a high salary and experienced a dropoff in production in 2022.

He completed 64.6 percent of his passes for 3,695 yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions for an 8-9 team that missed the playoffs. The numbers were solid, but he took home the MVP award in 2020 and 2021 while averaging 4,207 yards, 42.5 touchdowns and 4.5 interceptions through the air.

There is also the presence of Jordan Love, whom the Packers selected with a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

He has never received the opportunity to be the franchise quarterback with Rodgers leading the way, and Schefter noted a decision will need to be made on his fifth-year option.

Moving on from the future Hall of Famer would give Green Bay the first opportunity to truly assess Love's potential as a long-term quarterback for a team that has enjoyed plenty of success at the position.

   

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