The Green Bay Packers are one of the oldest NFL franchises, won 13 championships in its history, and had the best record in the NFC for back-to-back years entering the 2022-23 season. The Packers’ season started disastrously with a 4-8 record including embarrassing losses to the Jets and Vikings. However, the team won the next four games and was in contention to make the wild-card round with a win against the Detroit Lions. Despite dominating the Lions over the years with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, a young Detroit squad exacted revenge by sending the Packers home at Lambeau field. The team’s future is in question because of the uncertainty surrounding Aaron Rodgers and whether he will remain in Wisconsin. In this article, we will discuss the top 5 reasons why the Packers should trade number 12.
1. Packers are not Superbowl Contenders in 2023-2024-the Packers finished third in the NFC North after winning the division for three consecutive seasons between 2019-2021. The Vikings won the division and are the most talented team in the NFC North. The combination of Justin Jefferson, Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook, and Adam Thielen headlines one of the most impressive offenses in the league. The Vikings will only improve because they will use free agency and the draft to improve their defense. The Packers’ nearest challenger is the Lions, and they won both meetings this past season. The Lions have established a strong culture of playing hard and winning under Dan Campbell. The offense is probably better than the Vikings with Jamaal Williams, D’Andre Swift, and Amon St. Brown being dynamic weapons for Jared Goff. The defense will likely improve when they sign a few quality veterans and draft talent pieces. Yes, the Packers will struggle to win in the division, and we haven’t started to mention the Eagles, 49ers, Cowboys, and Giants considered the cream of the crop in the NFC.
2. Savings from a cap hit- trading Aaron Rodgers also makes sense from a financial standpoint. The longer he remains on the team, the bigger the cap hit from keeping on the roster. If Rodgers gets traded before June 1, 2023, the team will endure a $40.31 million cap hit for the upcoming season. The cap hit will be 10 million more than it was last season. However, the Packers can’t afford to keep an expensive veteran quarterback on the team if they are not contending. Therefore, the quicker they trade him, the sooner they get cap relief making their path to retooling happen more quickly.
3. Jordan Love looks ready- in the 2020 NFL draft, the Green Bay Pacers shocked the NFL World when they drafted Jordan Love with the 26th pick in the first round. It was a move that drew the ire of Aaron Rodgers and some fans because the team chose their future quarterback instead of getting a weapon for Rodgers. Love finally made his first appearances in the 2021 season in the absence of Aaron Rodgers, and he underwhelmed in his performances. However, on November 27, 2022, in a loss against the Eagles, Love made a limited appearance completing 6 of 9 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. Love displayed arm strength, made accurate throws, and looked like a man in charge of the offense. Also, by all accounts, his teammates and coaches think he is ready to take the helm. Jordan will be entering his fourth season, and the Packers will have to decide whether he deserves a fifth-year option. The best way to assess the young man is to give him the reign this season.
4. Rebuilding with Picks and Quality Players- the Packers can look back to a model of success in trading away a veteran quarterback when they look at the Seattle Seahawks scenario with Russell Wilson. Wilson wanted to move on to a better situation, and Seattle received excellent compensation in the blockbuster deal. The Seahawks traded Russell and a fourth-round pick to Denver and received Drew Lock, Shelby Harris, Noah Fant, and five draft picks, including first and second rounders in 2022 and 2023. Imagine if the Packers can get a similar deal from a desperate contending team. It will allow them to acquire a combination of young players and high draft picks which could fuel them into contention. The Seahawks had a better season than the Broncos and look to have won the trade now and in the future. The Packers could replicate their Seahawks in navigating a tricky situation.
5. Happy Ending for All Parties- Aaron Rodgers has played 230 games and has a record of 147-75-1 in the 18 seasons for the Packers. Rodgers has 475 touchdown passes and is now the all-time leader for the Packers. Rodgers has won 4 MVP titles and brought a Lombardi trophy to Wisconsin after defeating the Steelers in Superbowl XLV. However, in the past three seasons, the Packers season ended with home losses to the Buccaneers, 49ers, and Lions at home. It feels as if these losses deflated the team and the fanbase, and the window of opportunity to win a championship is gone. Rodgers needs to be on a team with better talent, and the Packers need to look to the future. The end of a marriage can be messy, and it will be interesting if either party pulls the plug this off-season.