What’s Packers’ path ahead if Aaron Rodgers retires after 2022?
Though below contract via 2026, Aaron Rodgers appears like a year-to-year participant at this level of his profession for the Inexperienced Bay Packers.
With Aaron Rodgers about to show 39-years-old in early December, we have now to marvel what occurs if the Green Bay Packers‘ star quarterback calls it a profession after this season.
Rodgers is under contract with Green Bay through his age-43 season in 2026. Whereas he may preserve taking part in properly into his 40s, every offseason has been extra chaotic than the earlier one for the long run first-ballot Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer. Provided that Inexperienced Bay has struggled mightily this yr, Rodgers may conceivably determine he has had sufficient of the NFL and strikes on together with his life.
Here’s what the Packers have to do if Rodgers decides to hold up the spikes after this season.
What Inexperienced Bay Packers have to do if Aaron Rodgers retires after this season
With the Packers have their worst season in years, it in all probability serves Inexperienced Bay to aim an trustworthy rebuild as soon as the franchise is aware of for positive Rodgers isn’t coming again. They need to have a top-16 choose within the 2023 NFL Draft, presumably within the highest 10 if issues worsen down the stretch. So for the primary time in years, go draft a star offensive playmaker within the primary spherical!
From there, Inexperienced Bay ought to signal a veteran free agent quarterback on an inexpensive, one-year deal in order that he can battle with Jordan Love for the beginning job. Remember that Love shall be coming into yr 4 out of Utah State. He’s below contract for another season. Though Inexperienced Bay may conceivably train the fifth-year choice on the previous first-rounder, the man has barely performed!
Whereas gamers and coaches don’t tank, organizations do. The possibilities of Love being a 3rd nearly as good as Rodgers or Brett Favre had been of their primes are slim to none. Subsequently, Inexperienced Bay could have to reposition itself for getting as near the highest of the board within the 2024 NFL Draft. USC’s Caleb Williams could be the No. 1 choose in that exact draft, however there could also be different candidates.
Though one may argue for taking a quarterback in 2023, Inexperienced Bay might be not going to be unhealthy sufficient to be in a sensible place to draft both Bryce Younger out of Alabama or C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State. Hendon Hooker out of Tennessee would have been proper within the Packers’ wheelhouse, however he tore his ACL final week. Taking a flier on Hooker in day two isn’t a nasty thought.
The rationale the Packers would need to take a look at utilizing first-round choose on a quarterback in 2024 versus 2023 is to keep away from paying that star quarterback one yr earlier. In idea, Williams throwing the ball to varsity teammate Jordan Addison professionally in Inexperienced Bay is much better than Younger having no one to throw to with Love backing him up and nonetheless holding that clipboard…
By basically punting on being overly aggressive in 2023, the Packers can determine if Love can play, if Matt LaFleur can actually coach and if Brian Gutekunst is the suitable man for the job to supervise probably the most prolonged Packers rebuilding course of in generations. If it hits the fan in 2023, then Inexperienced Bay can go forward and choose Williams or whomever with whole confidence within the 2024 NFL Draft.
Merely put, Inexperienced Bay has sufficient model fairness to afford a number of unhealthy seasons in a row. It occurs to just about each different group within the league. The purpose could be for the following Rodgers or Favre to be hitting his stride halfway via the 2025 NFL season. It could stink to excessive heaven to look at unhealthy soccer for a number of years, however you’ll so take that for 10 seasons of the following Patrick Mahomes.
Finally, Inexperienced Bay is an ultra-conservative operation and won’t do something drastic, even when Rodgers had been to be just a little extra impulsive to their liking. Whereas it will not be fairly, the Packers usually are not going to be directionless within the fast aftermath of a untimely Rodgers exodus. They aren’t going to make it up as they go. Inexperienced Bay could have a plan of motion to observe via with.
If Rodgers retires after this yr, all focus needs to be on nailing the following two drafts for Inexperienced Bay.
