The rumor mill has been hot with the NFL Pro Bowl in town as the Las Vegas Raiders continue to remain in the headlines. With Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers away playing golf in Pebble Beach, No. 12 can’t escape the hearsay. We also had Josh Jacobs’ comment that he’d be all in for the Raiders going after Rodgers. However, a source close to the situation has made it known that Rodgers will be wearing the Silver and Black next season.
Twitter: @Sam_Barrington_Raider Nation ran wild on Sunday as a post on Twitter made its rounds. Sam Barrington, a seventh-round draft choice and a linebacker for the Packers from 2013–2015, dropped a gem, claiming that Rodgers is going to the Raiders in 2023. Per Barrington, he cites a source that’s “in tune” with the situation in Green Bay. Rodgers himself has been dismissive of his future. Rodgers hasn’t officially stated anything significant other than the fact that he will not be playing for the San Francisco 49ers.
Are the Raiders really going to pursue Rodgers? You’d probably be hard-pressed to find Raiders players who would be against this move. As mentioned earlier, Jacobs certainly seemed enthused by the proposition. It also didn’t help that Rodgers’ former teammate has been busy putting gas on the flames. His posts across major social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram only add to the speculation.
Fans do have to remember that during this time in the year, everyone has a “source.” By all accounts, Rodgers keeps things close to his chest. Jacobs and Adams could simply be having fun with all of this. Or they might know something that the rest of us don’t. You can be the judge.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs gives “approval” on Aaron Rodgers
Trading for Rogers would be an act of wild desperation by a coach and GM who know their days are numbered if they miss the playoffs next year. If they were to trade for Rogers, it would hamstring the team for the rest of the decade. They wanted a first and a second for Adams; they would want at least as much for Rogers, and possibly the same again in 2024. That largely wipes out your ability to draft or trade for talent to fix the glaring holes in the defense, and the offensive line. And then there’s his salary which, while not massive for 2023, accelerates rapidly after that, and has guarantees even if he retires before his contract is over which makes it difficult to keep much talent in depth. The Packers were mad to give him the deal they did, almost as mad as the Browns with Watson. If the Raiders were ‘just a QB away from being genuine contenders’ it MIGHT be worth a gamble, but they aren’t.