No Surprise Packers Want 12 Back

Injected with sodium pentothal, head coach Matt LaFleur would probably confess that he can’t stand quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Team president Mark Murphy and general manager Brian Gutekunst almost certainly feel the same way and probably tell it to whoever’s willing to listen when they get home from the office. Yet it was no surprise to hear LaFleur insist on Monday that everybody in the organization is on the same page about wanting Rodgers to return next season.

“We’d love for him to be a Packer — and be a Packer until the day he decides to retire,” LaFleur told reporters. “Every conversation I’ve had with Gutey and Russ [Ball] and Mark, we’re all on the same page here. So there’s no debate.” Ball is the team’s executive vice president/director of football operations. He handles contract negotiations and the salary cap.


LaFleur was probably telling the truth when he spoke to the local media, but it’s fair to wonder if he would’ve sounded nearly as convincing had Jordan Love shown more these past couple of years. Gutekunst drafted the young quarterback in the first round in 2020 with the hope of him taking over the position in 2022, and following Rodgers’ controversial past nine months and his dreadful performance in the devastating loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs, now would be the perfect time to make the tricky transition from a proven legend to a talented unknown.

Unfortunately, Love has shown little in the past two years to make anybody think he’s ready to lead the Packers into battle eight months from now. He hasn’t been overly impressive in practice or the preseason, and his one start against Kansas City in Week 9 was underwhelming, to say the least. The former Utah State star led the offense to only one late TD in a 13-7 loss. In a business that judges people solely on Ws and Ls, it’s easy to see why Murphy, Gutekunst, and LaFleur would be willing to put up with Rodgers and all of his crap for another few seasons. The problem is, the choice isn’t theirs.

Rodgers holds all the power after renegotiating his contract last July. When Murphy and Gutekunst agreed to void the final year of his deal (2023), they also forced themselves to either extend the 38-year-old for another two or three years or trade him this offseason. Neither prospect can be all that appealing. Writing a check for at least $80 million to a player who looked old, cold, and disengaged in the biggest game of the season would be painful. Of course, based on his uninspiring body of work since being drafted 26th overall, the same could be said about having to watch Love in 2022.

It’ll be fascinating to see what happens in the next month. Immediately following Saturday night’s loss, Rodgers said he expects to decide on his future before the start of free agency in the middle of March, but it’ll likely happen sooner. I’ve thought since last spring that this would be No. 12’s final season in Green Bay, and while I still feel that way, you never know. Tens of millions of dollars and a lot of earnest groveling from the suits might just be enough to convince Rodgers to stick around for a few more years – something Murphy, Gutekunst, and LaFleur need a heck of a lot more than they want.

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Michael Rodney

Packers Notes is the creation of Michael Rodney, who has been writing about the Green Bay Packers for over 30 years. His first blog, Packer Update, hit the internet in 2004. Before becoming a public educator, Rodney worked as a journalist for a couple of newspapers in his home state of New Jersey and covered the Philadelphia Eagles for WTXF-TV. He's had numerous articles on the Packers published, and he's been featured on both television and radio over the years.

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Jerry
Jerry
January 25, 2022 3:20 pm

Rodgers might just be one of those players that you need to show love to 24/7, 365 days a year. A few weeks of kissing up to him might be enough to bring him back. That and about $100 million.

Jason
Jason
January 25, 2022 3:48 pm

He looked cold and miserable kinda like I hate winning games to be a number 1 seed and have to play in the cold mentality.

CJ
CJ
Reply to  Jason
January 25, 2022 4:49 pm

Change the 12 to a 4 and it would’ve been January 2008 all over again.

Ravikar
January 25, 2022 4:25 pm

Aaron rodgers never win ? 3 years fail so need 2022 better best faith your mind and pray to God frist the truth cause no bs talking team need practice and block beat them

Dale
Dale
January 25, 2022 5:16 pm

I wonder if the Packs will either trade for or sign a decent veteran QB, trade Rodgers and obtain players and draft choices. Tag Devante and trade him as well. Perhaps a Package deal. I’ve read that Denver, New Orleans and Miami are all interested in trading for Rodgers. Would be extremely interesting to see what we could obtain for these two players. Love might turn out to be as good as Lynn Dickey was back in the day, but I don’t believe he’s ever going to be a winning Super Bowl QB. Obviously, time will tell, should be an interesting few months.

Questions:

I was hoping you might have an idea regarding who the Packers might trade Rodgers to and what sort of haul could they obtain if they did. Would Devante bring at least a first round pick if traded or perhaps a second and fifth which would be better than the third we would get if we allowed him to walk.

Thanks for your time and energy in doing this labor of love. Take care and enjoy your evening.

Andy
Andy
January 26, 2022 1:07 am

Michael, I’m not a Love fan. What’s your take on the following scenarios:
Assumption is Rodgers and Hackett go to Denver…
A. Trade for Carr and sign Adams to a new deal to stay with his old Fresno State buddy. If so, is Carr’s 0 and 6 record in games under 38 degrees a major concern?

B. Trade Adams to Raiders for their #1. Though not same style of WR, without Ruggs Raiders should be interested in adding Adams along with keeping Carr to play together with Adams. In this scenario we either trudge forward with Love or obtain a veteran QB.

Andy
Andy
January 26, 2022 1:22 am

Also under B above, your thoughts on dealing for Gardner Minshew?

Tom M
Tom M
January 27, 2022 5:35 pm

If Gutekunst or Murphy had said they wanted Rodgers to stay, that would mean something. The fact that it’s LaFleur, not so much. Now that Hackett is HC in Denver, you have to think the trade is a done deal. Where he’ll insist on his trusty sidekick Davante Adams. I could see a franchise tag for Adams and a trade to Denver for Jerry Jeudy or perhaps TE Noah Fant. Then a separate deal for Rodgers. But in reality they’re one in the same along with naming Hackett HC. Remember, the Broncos have additional 2nd and 3rd round picks from the Von Miller trade. I would have to agree, have not been impressed with Jordan Love. Still, I think you give him next year as as starter to make a final determination. Then move up and draft next year’s hot college QB prospect with your two number one picks if Love isn’t the answer. It wouldn’t surprise me if Denver insisted we take Locke.

Beverly Hawk
Beverly Hawk
January 27, 2022 8:25 pm

I think if Aaron Rodgers stays with the NFL he would like to perform his exceptional Quarterback skills with another Team.

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