Winners and losers of the Aaron Rodgers extension in Green Bay
Reports out of Green Bay indicate back-to-back MVP QB Aaron Rodgers will resign with the Packers which has sent seismic waves across the league.
It was the story of the offseason in the NFL, but it is a story no more. The loud collective sigh of relief you probably heard this afternoon was the one being breathed out of Green Bay, Wisconsin after it was reported that Aaron Rodgers will be sticking with the the Packers this season, and for the following three seasons.
The aftermath of the news out of Packers camp leaves plenty of sides happy, but a whole lot of franchises with a bitter, yet familiar taste in their mouth with the realization Rodgers will remain under center in Lambeau.
Losers:
NFC North
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The NFC North have been at the mercy of Aaron Rodgers for the last decade and a half. The Packers have won the division eight times, and were the Wild Card three times since Rodgers took the wheel when Brett Favre left the Frozen Tundra. It looked like the Vikings, Bears and Lions were finally going to be liberated from the Rodgers reign, but alas it looks like they will have to deal with him for a few more years.
Jordan Love
Love was the one who almost drove Rodgers out of Green Bay. The Packers made a statement in the 2020 draft, committing their future to a relatively unknown quarterback who only played a few snaps in his last year of college football. The offseason soap opera was resolved last summer, and Rodgers stayed for the season. Now it looks like he’s staying even longer and it may be Rodgers driving Love out of town.
San Francisco
All indications are Jimmy Garppolo is on his way out of San Fran. The two time Super Bowl Runner up has most likely seen his time run out in the Bay Area, as the Niners look towards the future. This was almost definitely the mindset of the front offices at Levi’s Stadium as they envisioned the torch being passed to last years first round draft pick Trey Lance. That is until Rodgers came into the picture. The idea seemed to be a match made in heaven. Rodgers, a Cali kid, returning home to play for a serious contender in the NFC. But in the end it wasn’t meant to be in the Golden Gate City.
Denver Broncos
There was sky high optimism that Rodgers would land in the Mile High City this offseason. John Elway is the director of operations and we all know how he loves a good quarterback. He brought in Peyton Manning in the waining years of his career and the Broncos won the Super Bowl. Surely Denver fans had aspirations and maybe even some dejavú coming into this offseason with their fingers crossed that Rodgers. would touchdown
Winners:
Packers fans
It was a sad farewell to the season for the Packers, as their hopes for Super Bowl glory were cut short in their opening game of the playoffs. Not only did the season come to an end, but there was no clear answer on weather or not they would ever see Aaron Rodgers in a Packers jersey again. For a franchise that has really only known two quarterbacks over the last three decades that must have been a scary thought.
AFC West
The Broncos were on the verge of being the biggest losers of the day after the headline that the Packers QB1 was staying put, that is until the trade for Russell Wilson came to the surface. Wilson is a fantastic quarterback and even though he had an injury plagued last year, he is still a top echelon signal caller. Having said that, he hasn’t won the last two league MVP titles like Rodgers has.
NFC West
There was a whole lot of speculation that Rodgers would be making a home coming after the Packers disappointing Divisional Round exit to the San Francisco 49ers. It would have opened up old wounds if the team that knocked the Packers out of the playoffs was the same team that swiped Rodgers from Lambeau to come play in the Bay? With Garoppolo gone and No. 12 signing an extension in Green Bay San Fran may not be such a threat for the division title.
Devonte Adams
Surely there were conversations between Adams and the Packers, the Packers and Rodgers, and Adams and Rodgers to come to this resolution. Reports out of Green Bay is that Adams is staying about in the Frozen Tundra on a franchise tag meaning Rodgers will have the receiver he called the most talented he has ever played with at least one more year.