In case you were wondering why nothing happened between Aaron Rodgers and the Denver Broncos as far as a trade is concerned immediately upon the clock striking midnight on June 1, it’s because there was never a deadline for the Packers to trade the league MVP. The June 1 date has always been a landmark in the NFL offseason as a point where dead money hits on cut or traded players can count over two years instead of just one.
The Denver Broncos, for instance, designated offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James as a post-June 1 cut so they could spread out the salary cap savings.
Now that the June 1 landmark has passed, what’s next for Aaron Rodgers?
According to ESPN’s Packers reporter Rob Demovsky, he doesn’t think whatever is next for Rodgers will involve taking another snap as a member of the Green Bay Packers.
For those asking about it, here’s the Demovsky hit on Kap and J. Hood on ESPN 1000. #Bears #Broncos pic.twitter.com/gb696ofSay
— Patrick Sheldon (@P_Shels) June 3, 2021
Demovsky has covered the Packers for a very long time, and probably isn’t going to be staking his entire reputation on a statement like that. His words exactly:
“I do not. I do not think he will ever play here again, Kap.”
The Packers have not made Rodgers available for a trade yet, so nothing has changed there. As Demovsky notes, though, it’s hard to see Rodgers “walking this back” when it comes to the things that have been said and done between him and the Packers, and Rodgers’ beef specifically seems to be with general manager Brian Gutekunst.
The Denver Broncos will obviously be patiently waiting in the weeds here until the Packers ultimately relent if that is going to happen, but the possibility of Gutekunst sticking it to Rodgers and just telling him to play for Green Bay or retire does exist.
Rodgers has found other ways he can make a pretty good chunk of change outside of playing for the Packers, like hosting Jeopardy! on daytime television.
For the time being, the Denver Broncos have an offseason competition going between incumbent starter Drew Lock and newcomer Teddy Bridgewater. In the event that an Aaron Rodgers trade goes down, it’s likely that one of those guys would go to the Packers in return as insurance for Jordan Love.
The strange thing about the whole feud between Rodgers and the Packers is that it does not seem money is an issue at all. In fact, Rodgers has reportedly declined a deal worth north of $40 million annually.
Just wait.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) June 2, 2021
The Packers are going to offer another big money deal (already offered one that would have put Rodgers in the $40+mil per year range that he declined).
Packers keepnsaying they're keeping Rodgers keeps saying he's not coming back. https://t.co/WeGpElnGV5
All of this to say, as we sit here today on June 3, nothing has really changed at all regarding Rodgers and the Packers. The Packers still don’t want to trade him. Rodgers still hasn’t relented on his stance and seems “dug in”.
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The fact that big money has apparently been turned down is massive as it relates to Rodgers eventually being traded. If the Packers can’t fix this by throwing a lot of money at him, then a trade may truly be the only way out.