Broncos reportedly did ‘due diligence’ on potential trade for Packers’ Aaron Rodgers
While Thursday was a quiet day for Chiefs fans who knew their team didn’t have a pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, it was a roller coaster of emotion for Broncos fans.
While Denver has Lee’s Summit native/former Mizzou star Drew Lock and newly acquired Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback, fans wondered if the Broncos would draft Ohio State star Justin Fields.
Then came the shocking news that quarterback Aaron Rodgers wanted out of Green Bay and he had a short list of teams he’d join: the 49ers, Raiders and Broncos, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported.
Shortly before the draft started, former NFL offensive lineman Mark Schlereth said the Broncos and Packers were working on a trade, raising the hopes of some Denver fans.
But like many Twitter rumors, this was debunked after the Broncos drafted cornerback Patrick Surtain II at No. 9.
But NFL.com columnist Michael Silver reported Broncos general manager George Paton did look into the possibility of acquiring Rodgers.
“Paton, who the previous morning had sent a sixth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers to acquire Bridgewater ... reasoned that the Packers’ asking price would be steep,” Silver wrote. “With teams like the New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears eager to move up, there was potential for Paton to use such a swap to stockpile premium 2022 picks that could be part of a trade package.
“At the very least, he felt compelled to do his due diligence. The only question was, would the Packers play ball? When a third party made it clear to him that his Green Bay counterpart, Brian Gutekunst, had no desire to entertain such a conversation, Paton quickly abandoned the speculative scenario and pivoted back into draft mode.”
The decision to draft Surtain didn’t sit well with Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla, who thought either Fields should have been drafted or Rodgers should be wearing orange and blue next season.
“When the Broncos had a chance to use this NFL draft to go in a bold new direction, they passed on taking a quarterback. Really? What were you thinking, George?” Kiszla wrote.
“We better hope that on his way out of Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers decides to stop and play quarterback in our dusty old cowtown for three or four seasons before focusing all his attention on his dream job as the host of “Jeopardy!”
As for the Raiders, who also were listed as a team Rodgers would consider, general manager Mike Mayock said there wasn’t much to say.
“Aaron Rodgers is under contract to another team; I can’t talk about him,” Mayock said Thursday night, per ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez.
Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported the Raiders were “weighing all options” when it comes to Rodgers.
Gutekunst, the Packers general manager, said Thursday night the team won’t be trading Rodgers. But things change in sports, and if a deal is done, it would make more sense to happen in about a month.
As Mike Grimala of the Las Vegas Sun noted, the Packers’ cap hit would be considerably less if any deal is reached after the first of June.
“Rodgers has three years remaining on his current contract, with cap hits of $37.2 million, $39.8 million and $28.3 million in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively,” Grimala wrote. “The Packers would assume a massive dead-cap hit of $31.5 million if they traded Rodgers before June 1; after June 1 that figure would drop to $14.3 million.”
