Cory’s Corner: I’m Not 100% Sold On A Trade

It doesn’t seem like it’s a matter of when anymore. It just seems like it’s a matter of how much it will take.

The more days go by, the more it seems like trading Aaron Rodgers is a sure thing.

According to Pro Football Network, “One source said that (Jets) general manager Joe Douglas is admitting to people in the league the franchise will go all out in the attempt to bring Rodgers to Gang Green.”

And then there is Davante Adams that peeks his head out from the Twitter bushes every now and again to proclaim his love and devotion to his former quarterback. 

By now it seems like it’s a no brainer that Rodgers gets traded. But there are some hang-ups with that theory. What are the Packers looking to get back? If they are looking to get back something close to the Russell Wilson haul that Seattle got, that isn’t happening. The Seahawks fleeced the Broncos to the tune of a second rounder in 2022, fifth rounder in 2022, first rounder in 2023 and second rounder in 2023. Not to mention Drew Lock, Shelby Harris and Noah Fant. Granted, Lock and Harris were meaningless throw-ins, but that’s a lot of assets. 

The Packers could probably get a first rounder and a second rounder for the 39-year-old passer. If the trade partner is Las Vegas, maybe the Packers could also add depth at defensive line with Jerry Tillery — who has shown flashes as a pass rusher and was a first round pick in 2019.

If it’s the Jets, maybe the Packers could get edge rusher Michael Clemons, who is excellent against the run in addition to a flurry of desperation picks. 

Then again, this is Aaron Rodgers. One of the most complicated guys in the league. Do we really know that he’s going to rubber stamp a trade? 

I’m not sold. I still think Rodgers has no idea what he wants to do. Maybe there’s a chance that he opts to go back to the drawing board and renegotiate his contract. Now, I highly doubt that happens, especially because he signed that contract that pays him an average of $50 million last March.

The amount of trade banter isn’t going to stop as we get closer to the NFL Draft. We are eight days out from Super Bowl LVII and it seems like the Rodgers story will supersede the big game. 

Regardless, it’s in Rodgers’ court, and that’s exactly what he wants. He has all the leverage. The Packers have said that they want him back. The only thing left to understand is if Rodgers wants to be back. Does he want to spend more time with a young receiving corps that will likely include a rookie tight end from this year’s draft class?

Either way, expect Adams to continue on the Rodgers campaign trail. And I have to admit, seeing Rodgers throwing to Adams again would be pretty interesting. 

“We made a big commitment to him this offseason, so that was obviously something that was really important to us,” said Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst this past December.

The Packers made a huge commitment to the tune of $59.5 million in guaranteed money this year. The NFL is always quarterback starved, but doling out that kind of money doesn’t exactly make it easy to trade him away.