It’s unclear if Aaron Rodgers arrived at anything that might constitute clarity during a recent “darkness retreat” (he had planned a four-day stay but reportedly left after two days), though all signs point to the disgruntled 39-year-old playing elsewhere next season. ESPN’s Jeff Darlington gave voice to that theory, alluding to Rodgers’ inevitable “divorce” from the only team he’s ever played for.
With the Packers seemingly eager to move on from an expensive—not to mention high-maintenance—player coming off a career-worst season, some have speculated Rodgers’ next act could come as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders, reuniting the four-time MVP with his former teammate, Davante Adams. While it wouldn’t be his easiest path to a Super Bowl, or even the playoffs (playing Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert twice a year is the NFL equivalent of Sisyphus rolling a boulder up the hill for all eternity), the Raiders do have an opening at quarterback, needing to fill the vacancy left by Derek Carr. However, based on comments made by Josh McDaniels at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Rodgers might not fit the Raiders’ vision, preferring a young quarterback on a rookie deal over a veteran mercenary.
“There’s always urgency at that position. The goal for us, eventually, is to have somebody that’s going to be here for a long time. You see the teams that are having success right now in our league, in our conference and specifically in our division are young players that are drafted by their clubs and are being developed there,” said McDaniels, acknowledging the challenge that awaits the Raiders at quarterback, entering the offseason with only undrafted Chase Garbers under contract. “Do I think you have to do that if you’re not sure or you’re not sold on the player and now you’re making a mistake just to try to say that you’re solving a problem? I don’t think that’s really a smart decision. So we’re going to do everything we can do to evaluate every player at that position both in the draft and free agency.”
While the Raiders will certainly do their due diligence, leaving no stone unturned in their search for a franchise quarterback, moving Heaven and Earth for Rodgers would seem to go against McDaniels’ overarching philosophy. The Raiders have some serious self-reflection ahead of them in the coming weeks, needing to decide if they’re a piece away or better off building for the future, prioritizing sustained, long-term success over the quick, but ultimately fleeting payoff of bringing aboard a player like Rodgers, whose shelf life could be anywhere from one to five years. All of this should come as great news to the Jets, who don’t seem to share any of the Raiders’ reservations, wholly unfazed by Rodgers’ age and volatility in their quest for even the smallest salt grain of relevance.
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