FULL COVERAGE
Sports fans are accustomed to Aaron Rodgers storylines; however, this past year #12 stepped up his “game” and broke into the national headline news outlets numerous times. As a result, the Packers organization has been walking on eggshells for some time. Remember the summer of ’21 drama, trade rumors, retirement teasers, the whole immunization debacle, etc.? So WHY would the Packers bring back a player who has toyed with the hearts of the front office, his teammates, and the Cheesehead Nation?
Recall early January when the San Francisco 49ers eliminated Super Bowl LVI favorites Green Bay Packers. As the Niners celebrated, all eyes turned to the veteran QB in green and gold. As Rodgers departed Lambeau, he raised the ASL sign for love, potentially, for the last time. Stories abounded. Where would Rodgers go next, would he be traded, would he retire, or would he return?
Well, the latter. Rodgers returns to the Packers on a long-term contract.
UNPACKING THE PACKERS
So what now? What’s holding the Packers back? For one, the salary cap that limits the money teams can spend signing players. Green Bay is in the negative of the allowance, which is a big problem for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. The Packers should retain a pretty good roster, but may lose some pieces along the way. Or a big piece! Read: Davante Adams. Meanwhile, the Jordan Love question remains. Does he have any decent trade value? Love, a first round selection, performed subpar in two starts; therefore, many teams are likely hesitant to take a flyer on him.
Is Rodgers is worth the money given his recent playoff performances? For the past two seasons, the Packers clinched the #1 NFC seed, but twice failed to make the Super Bowl. In fact, Green Bay’s last Super Bowl appearance was 2011, which ended in victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since then, Rodgers has suffered many disappointing losses in the NFC Divisional and Championship games.
RODGERS RATE
Some argue that several of Green Bay’s disappointing losses were defense-related: 2014 Cardinals, 2015 Seattle, and 2017 Falcons. However, other losses can be attributed to the Rodgers-led offense’s failures to score, including the most recent San Francisco game. Is Rodgers, especially at his age and penchant for drama, worthy of the big contract? Can they replace Adams AND make it over the hump? Time will tell.
