Set to be released from his Jets contract soon, Aaron Rodgers must wait until March 12 before becoming a free agent. Because the Jets are planning to designate him as a post-June 1 cut, no official release can take place until the start of the 2025 league year. In the meantime, however, the future Hall of Fame quarterback can survey the landscape.
One place that would understandably generate interest: Los Angeles. Rodgers indeed is believed to be eyeing a Rams fit, according to the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard. This is contingent upon the Rams following through with a Matthew Stafford trade. While Stafford and the Rams look to find a solution on his contract, a handful of teams have come up as destinations for the 37-year-old passer.
[RELATED: Reexamining Jets-Packers’ 2023 Rodgers Trade]
Rodgers is now 41 and not in the same form Stafford is. That said, he still played 17 games for the Jets and finished with 28 touchdown passes compared to 11 interceptions (albeit at just 6.7 yards per attempt). The former Packers superstar has not closely reminded fans of his MVP form, but he would be an upgrade for teams in need at the position. While teams like the Steelers, Browns and Raiders would come to mind as potential fits — particularly Pittsburgh and Cleveland due to the AFC North teams’ roster talent — the Rams have presented an optimal fit for quarterbacks since Sean McVay arrived in 2017.
Rodgers led the way to the Jets acquiring several of his ex-Green Bay teammates, with OC Nathaniel Hackett also owing his status in New York to his former Packers pupil. If Rodgers commits to playing a 21st season (a direction he is leaning), Leonard writes he would want to bring Davante Adams with him once again. The Jets gave up a third-round pick for Adams, and while that did not reignite last season’s edition, the former All-Pro did outperform Amari Cooper and DeAndre Hopkins; he just did so for a 5-12 team.
The four-time MVP has a home in Los Angeles, and Adams has been tied to seeking a West Coast fit. The Rams came up as a potential destination, adding some intrigue here. It is not certain the Rams would want Rodgers, who does bring some baggage at this point in his career. A scenario in which the Rams move off Stafford and add Rodgers on the cheap could appeal to the NFC West club, but counting on a 40-something passer who suffered an Achilles tear in September 2023 would not be for everyone. If the Rams do pull the trigger on moving Stafford, though, they would obviously want a path to a starter-caliber quarterback to help sustain their playoff status.
Jets GM Darren Mougey did not indicate which way the team was leaning with Adams, only saying he is still at Jet at this time. But the team will not pay the accomplished wideout a $35.6MM base salary. The Jets are expected to move on soon, and they would not need to wait until June 1 with Adams. Cutting the 32-year-old performer would save the team $29.9MM.
The Rams signing off on the same Rodgers-Adams package the Jets are jettisoning would be interesting, given the team’s status as a perennial (save for an injury-ravaged 2022 season) contender. After all, the team is preparing to move on from its own 30-something receiver — Cooper Kupp. But it would appear Rodgers is closely monitoring the Stafford situation just in case the Rams would be interested in being his third NFL employer.
If the Rams move on from Stafford, I would assume they would want to get younger, not older. Maybe they’re willing to ride out a one year option while they keep feeling out a next quarterback plan, especially if he comes discounted, but when your organization is built around a coach who’s prized for culture and scheme, bringing in a quarterback who’s likely to disrupt culture and be stubborn about scheme seems like a tough sell.
Yep, younger not older. Plus, shockingly, money seems to be at the center of all this folly. Stafford wants to be a part of that 50 mil club. Rams have made it clear they won’t do that. If Stafford does get a 50 mil deal somewhere else, the Rams are not going to bring in a Rodgers type who will be looking to be paid in the 50 mil + range as well.
C Yards- I don’t think Rodgers will require a $50M AAV. He signed for a $37M AAV with the Jets because he wanted to leave the org money to add to the OL.
They would draft a QB and have Rodgers for one win now season
You think mcveigh is gonna stick around for a rebuild? There were rumors about him leaving when the rams were hotter.
I do. He’s spoken frankly about burning out before and getting his head back in. They’ve also already done a lot of the rebuilding. They have one of the best defensive lines in football all with most of their rookie contracts left. Their number one receiver isn’t 24 yet. They fixed their cap situation. There’s still stuff to do, but as long as he’s willing to take on the next quarterback transition, it’s a good place to be. Especially since the NFC is the easier conference these days.
Darnold has more of a chance of landing with the Rams than Rodgers does. Of course, neither will be with the Rams if Stafford comes to terms with them!
Agreed
Nah, theres no reason to assume that. The Rams dont have to choose younger vs older, they can literally go get both. Theres nothing stopping them from getting Rodgers or another veteran QB as a stop gap QB (or a bridge QB) as they prepare a young QB if they were to also acquire one from the draft or trade. Also, if Aaron disrupting the culture means just about every teammate having positive things to say about him from multiple lockerooms then i think McVay can handle that
This is not a new thing for a team to do in the National Football League.
If he takes another vacation without permission when a new coach is trying to install an offense, I’d say that’s disruptive.
Huh? Sean McVays a new coach? Salehs was a new coach?
McVay would be a new coach for Rodgers, and he wouldn’t let Rodgers only run the concepts he wanted to run.
And Im sure Aaron would be fine with that lol. A good coach knows how to balance their schemes with their QBs playstyle, im sure McVay would be ok. You sip way too much of MSM koolaid btw
He pushed back on LaFleur the whole time he did that, then he landed himself with a team that hired Hackett, who didn’t challenge him at all. And to my original point, a coach can’t be confident he can meet a quarterback halfway if he can’t be confident the quarterback will be around the whole time he’s supposed to be. Installing an offense requires a new quarterback to be there.
And anyone who says “MSM koolaid” has been sold talking points by some bad people.
Lol Him and MLF clearly made it work as he landed 2 straight MVPs and both guys have great things to say about each other. Pretending they didnt meet halfway to the point where a coach like McVay couldnt make it work is something
Btw, no ones sold me anything lol Not my fault you fall for every single negative article about a guy to the point where you cant even google the ones that get debunked. its clear you have a hard on to be anti Rodgers anything so I’ll just let you be
A hard on to be anti Rodgers? You’re the one who refuses to see a single negative about him, wrong is a failure of reality and common sense. Just because LaFleur has a basic command of diplomacy doesn’t mean everything was good with the Packers. I’ve actually defended him as being better last year than people give him credit for. But a team would have to be in lousy position to want to bring him in now.
I mean hes old and lacks mobility bc of that and his achilles injury but the concern’s of his character are immensely overstated and driven mainly by fraudulent reports by sports media since they get 0 repercussion’s for simply lying and get all the incentives to feign controversy for clicks
He was also an unexcused absence from mandatory minicamp, unless Robert Saleh is a fraudulent media member.
Oh no not mini camp! If thats the one factual thing you got, aint got much
It’d be a pretty big deal to a new team working him into a new scheme with new teammates.
And theres no reason to think he’d skip it on the Rams if he were to go it, since he showed up the Jets minicamp year 1. I dont think its too important for a HoF QB to do basic drills but if you wanna pretend like thats the reason Jets did bad go for it
There’s nothing “fraudulent” about him running his mouth on Pat McAfee’s show where he’s regularly gotten himself in trouble- without any help from the media.
But there are fraudulent reports every year about him from sports media. The amount of times we were told hes retiring just for it to be wrong, the amount of times we heard hes beefing with this guy or that guy just for it not to be true is a routine thing done by the media. Or how about most recently the report was Jets demanded Rodgers not go on McAfee if he wanted to return and he was too stubborn to accept those terms and then later its revealed that was never a condition the Jets tried to impose in the first place?
Him going on McAfee and just talking to Pat for a lil while isnt a problem btw lol
@begamin The woke guy is still burned up that Rodgers didn’t take the experimental jab. At least now he’s covering his animosity with football reasons.
Oh god give it a rest. I didn’t bring up anything related to vaccines or politics. You’re the weirdo who tried to tell me the Eagles and Rams are foolishly run. I’m not eager for another idiotic interaction with you.
Not this time. The underlying grounds of your strong dislike for Rodgers are relevant.
“Woke”? Where did that come from?
“bad people” is crazy tho lmao relax junior
this is hilarious
Good luck with that, Rams!
Matthew Stafford for Aaron Rodgers straight up … that would make the New York Sportsball Media explode in complete chaos!
They wouldnt get a used bag of balls for Aaron Rodgers and you think they can get Stafford? lmao
Rams wanna trade 37 yr old & replace him with a 41 yr old ? Why not go 1 step further & bring 48 yr old brady from retirement ?
Rodgers comes with baggage and a circus like atmosphere why would McVay even consider him? But Aaron wants to bring in adams and a few players… give me a break! I wish he would just retire
Rodgers just wants to be in or close to CA. When he was rumored to go to the Jets, he was also pushing for the Raiders (plus they had D. Adams). I don’t blame him for wanting to play near home, but at this point, he seems to only be concerned with his own whims. Watching him every game this year, I don’t care what the final numbers said, dude is way past checked out.
Like the Raiders need more monkeys for their circus…
I think Kurt Warner has a better chance of starting for the Rams than Rodgers.
I’m sorry Rams fans
He could be hailed as the prototype great teammate, as a coach or executive, there’s no way I’d want this living breathing media circus in my locker room.
To even bring up Adams shows he will never change
Why not? A QB who can no longer move and a WR who can no longer run. A perfect match for mediocrity.