Aaron Rodgers has yet to decide if he’ll return for a 19th season in the NFL, but when he does, we know at least one team that would love to have him, and another that probably won’t be in the running. Days after ESPN announced the Packers would rather leave the star quarterback in 2023, Jets star cornerback Sauce Gardner tweeted (then deleted) Rodgers, hinting he might be interested in what he takes his talents to East Rutherford.
“Aye @AaronRodgers12? Nvm forgot what I was going to say,” the initial tweet read.
Gardner followed up his initial tweet by saying, “I trolled you all. Relax.”
New York has been a popular couple for Rodgers should he leave Green Bay. The Jets have a roster ready to play in 2023, but the quarterback position is what’s holding them back right now. Inserting Rodgers would instantly make him a force in the AFC East and could be good for the development of Zach Wilson, who is close to the veteran QB and could lean on him as long as his tenure lasts.
Meanwhile, Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams announced Thursday that Rodgers will soon be moving to Las Vegas. Hours later, Rodgers himself potentially ruled out a separate destination, joking during CBS’s broadcast of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am that he won’t be playing for the 49ers.
“Do you have any news you want to share with us?” professional golfer Colt Knost jokingly asked Rodgers as the quarterback prepared for his next hole on the course. The reigning NFL MVP smiled, stopped, then seemingly ruled out his boyhood team.
“I’m not going to San Francisco,” Rodgers said.
The 49ers notably spent this week discussing their QB situation, which saw Trey Lance and Brock Purdy recover from serious injuries. Coach Kyle Shanahan has definitively said former starter Jimmy Garoppolo, a 2023 free agent, won’t be back with the team. But apparently San Francisco, which reportedly sought to acquire Rodgers before drafting Lance in 2021, won’t be back in the market for A-Rod. On the other hand, it’s possible the 49ers are indeed interested in Rodgers, but Green Bay has denied their demands in an effort to keep Rodgers out of the NFC, assuming he’s not back with the Packers. .
Earlier Thursday, Adams sparked speculation of a move west, but to Vegas. The Packers’ longtime star receiver, whose trade in 2022 left Rodgers and Co. untested for much of the season, promised to answer fan questions on Twitter. One asked which neighborhood Rodgers would be moving to, and Adams’ response left little room for interpretation: “Mine.”
The Raiders and their own longtime quarterback, Derek Carr, have already publicly announced a split. Las Vegas should therefore be active in search of a new signalman. They were a logical candidate to pursue Tom Brady, had the former Patriots and Buccaneers star not announced his retirement this week. But with Brady off the table, Rodgers could be the next best target via trade.
