Is Aaron Rodgers to New England Actually Possible?
Look, I’m a Patriots fan. I’ve been a fan of the organization for almost two decades now. Drew Bledsoe was a little bit before my time, so all I’ve known is Tom Brady. Brady’s gone to Florida, so now the QB position is in question for the first time in forever. So what’s next for the Patriots? Well, it looks like we’re rolling with Jarrett Stidham, which I’m more than okay with for the future. Another option could be…Aaron Rodgers?
Trade bait for sure I’m calling it now he’s going to end up with Patriots https://t.co/HKgfCfyu49
— Reggie Bush (@ReggieBush) April 24, 2020
This tweet from former NFL running back Reggie Bush is in relation to the Packers taking Utah State quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the draft. Obviously, the rumors started flying off the shelves. But could this really be possible? Let’s dig a little deeper into this, shall we?
The Packers Recent Draft
The Packers draft picks did not help Aaron Rodgers at all. Their first pick was Love. Their second? A.J. Dillion, running back out of Boston College. A tight end was taken in the third round. After that, their picks went as follows: linebacker, o-line, center, offensive tackle, safety, and edge rusher. What, the Packers didn’t want to give Rodgers anymore receivers? If Davante Adams gets injured, they can be in a lot of trouble. There’s something to say about what direction a team wants to go in. But for the Packers who were 13-3 and one game away from the Super Bowl last season, this draft doesn’t look good at all.
Rodger’s Contract
Aaron Rodgers is currently on a four year, 134 million dollar deal. Safe to say, the man is owed lots of money. The Patriots just let Tom Brady walk and he would have been owed over 30 million dollars. Do we really think that the Patriots will want to take that money on this year? I don’t think they can if they really wanted to anyway! In 2020, Rodger’s base salary is 1.5 million. The next three seasons? 14.7 million, 25 million, and 25 million again. Personally, I think the contract is too large this season. Next season when the Patriots have more cap room? It’s more likely, I’ll say that much.
A LOT Needs to Happen Internally First
Credit to my Legends Lingo co-host Fiesta for this idea. Seriously, the guy knows contracts better than anyone I know. If you want Rodgers badly enough, you can restructure some of the larger contracts such as Stephon Gilmore and Donta Hightower. Get rid of one of your linemen like Joe Thuney or Shaq Mason. There’s your start. It might depend on if the Patriots are willing to take on the huge contract of Rodgers.
Rodgers’ Age
This is the only question mark I really have with Rodgers. How many years does he have left? He’s going to be 36 during the 2020 season. Let’s say hypothetically and miraculously, Rodgers found himself as a Patriot. You have what, a three, maybe four year window to win? If Stidham is really as good as people are saying he can be, wouldn’t you rather have the longevity of winning titles again? I think Rodgers has the best ability of any quarterback in the NFL. But at this point, I’d rather have another long window of winning than short windows like a lot of these other teams experience.
In Conclusion
Do I think Aaron Rodgers ends up a Patriot? Absolutely not. The only way it can happen is if Rodgers demands a trade, which could very well happen. He might feel slighted by the Packers for getting a younger quarterback. But honestly, it just seems like a pipe dream at this point. Let’s get ready to watch Jarrett Stidham in 2020. Maybe the kid will surprise a lot of us. Let’s ride!
-Al Nahigian (@BigAl2793)