The Packers brought a coach that Aaron Rodgers apparently has a strong connection with out of retirement to coach the QBs. Bad news for the Broncos?
Until Aaron Rodgers makes a decision about his future, every move the Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers make is going to be looked at in one very specific context.
What does every move have to do with the reigning back-to-back MVP?
The latest move made by the Green Bay Packers feels a bit like a gut punch to the Denver Broncos’ chances of landing Rodgers, but is it?
Packers latest hire seems like bad news for the Broncos
Green Bay Packers expected to hire veteran assistant and former offensive coordinator Tom Clements as their new quarterbacks coach, per league sources; Clements' addition is expected to be welcomed highly by quarterback Aaron Rodgers as he contemplates his future @PFN365
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 17, 2022
At initial glance, this seems like really bad news for the Denver Broncos, doesn’t it?
As much as the Denver Broncos hiring Nathaniel Hackett seems to be an advantage for Denver, the Packers hiring a guy who coached Rodgers from 2006-2016 would seem to be a pretty substantial advantage in Green Bay’s favor.
With that being said, it’s important to note that the Packers, at this point, have said nothing about the fact that they are not trading Rodgers. Until the Packers say they aren’t trading Rodgers, we can only assume that Rodgers has given them no assurances of his future.
This move by Green Bay could be interpreted as a last-ditch effort, and the Packers, at the time of this writing, have made nothing official regarding the hiring of Tom Clements.
Other national reporters have been throwing hints on Twitter that things appear to be going pretty well in Green Bay between Rodgers and the Packers lately. They have been pushing the narrative that Rodgers has things pretty good in Green Bay right now and perhaps he’s realizing it and will be willing to finish his career there.
On a personal level, and this is nothing but a vibe I’m getting, but it feels like things are trending the complete opposite direction of the Denver Broncos getting Aaron Rodgers. This point, right now, is the least confident I have been about Rodgers coming to Denver throughout this whole process.
Ultimately, that could mean nothing. It’s just a feeling. A hunch.
Oddsmakers seem to be really pushing Rodgers to Denver these days, which makes me think they want a bunch of bets coming in on Denver so they can make a ton of money when that ultimately doesn’t happen.
Again, that’s purely speculation that I could be very wrong about, and I hope I am.
As great as it would be to see Aaron Rodgers come to the Mile High City, it’s hard to look at this move by the Packers as just a desperate plea for Rodgers to stay. This feels like a move Rodgers may have hand-picked.
At this point, the good news for all of the optimists is this — there has been nothing definitive from Rodgers as of yet. The Packers have leaked to reporters that they are willing to make him the highest-paid player in NFL history and take on voidable years of a contract if need be.
They have seemingly hired a coach who has strong ties to Rodgers and already coached him for over 10 years.
Of course, the Broncos also have a coach now that Rodgers really vouches for in Nathaniel Hackett. The Packers might just be trying to do whatever they can — anything and everything — to keep Rodgers, and you can’t blame them.
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Still, this move — assuming it becomes official soon — doesn’t seem like it’s overly great for the Broncos’ chances.