Aaron Rodgers has sent out a cryptic Instagram message, and ESPN’s Diana Russini is reporting that he’s close to a decision on his future. But there’s still time to read between the lines on whether Rodgers will retire, demand a trade, or return to the Green Bay Packers.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando was recently on Ryen Russillo’s podcast, and he thinks Rodgers isn’t going anywhere.
“We’ll see what happens with Rodgers,” he said. “I think he’s gonna stay in Green Bay.”
Russillo commended Brian Gutekunst, Russ Ball, and the Packers front office for how they’ve handled the offseason.
Green Bay, you know they addressed the media the other day, and I thought that their leadership was smart about this. They’re like, ‘We know it hasn’t gone our way with the No. 1 seeds, but that still means that we’re in the mix for this thing, and we know we have a really good team.’
I know they have some cap challenges. Maybe a couple vets that haven’t played enough because of health reasons, they’ll move on. They have the Davante Adams situation. But they’re likely to make Rodgers – or offer him to be the highest-paid quarterback in the league.
So how much do you think this thing has cooled from where we were last summer?
Sando said it’s been night and day, and that’s why he thinks Rodgers is staying.
I think it’s totally different. I think all of us objectively could have looked at the situation and said, ‘The most logical thing for all parties is for Rodgers to stay with Green Bay.’ However, when feelings are hurt in a negotiation or any relationship, people don’t make logical, rational decisions, right?
I mean, if you’re pissed at your boss, or pissed at your friend, or whatever, then you may do something that you wouldn’t otherwise do, that wouldn’t make sense otherwise.
I think that’s where Rodgers was a year ago. I think he was ticked off with the organization, bad relationship with the GM, and he was ready to go. Now, clearly, he feels better about the situation. I think it’s a much better set of circumstances to proceed logically.
So unless – I think you now have to imagine something that isn’t apparent. That there isn’t evidence for, to think that he’s leaving now. It just doesn’t seem like it.
The logic checks out. The Packers have a championship-caliber roster, just like they did last year. But there was a rift between Rodgers and Gutekunst, resulting in Rodgers’ decision to hold out and vacation while the rest of the team was at camp. Now they’ve repaired their relationship, and Green Bay remains his best opportunity to win.
