Aaron Rodgers is the subject of a lot of recent headlines -- mostly off the field or speculation about his future. What does the staff think about his future?
Welcome to Week 13 of the 2024 Footballguys Roundtable. Our intrepid panel of fantasy pundits discusses and debates four topics every week. We split the conversation into separate features.
This week's roundtable features these four topics:
- Thanksgiving Day Sleepers
- Favorite 2025 NFL Draft Prospect
- Aaron Rodgers in 2025 (see below)
- Tee Higgins in 2025
Let's roll.
Aaron Rodgers in 2025
Matt Waldman: Do you think Aaron Rodgers will start for a team in 2025? Do you think it will be the Jets? Which teams would be a good fit if he went elsewhere? Brett Favre struggled in New York and thrived in Minnesota. Could we see a repeat for Rodgers elsewhere?
Jason Wood: P.T. Barnum reminds us that there's a sucker born every minute, so I’ll say that, yes, if Aaron Rodgers wants to play in 2025, some team will be desperate enough to give him that opportunity. I don’t think there’s really a good fit for him anymore because he’s washed, and his diva-like nature turns the locker room into a toxic soup unless there’s an ironclad culture already in place.
Waldman: So you're telling Mark Davis there's a chance?
Wood: Yes. Since I don’t see any well-run franchise bothering to sign him next year, the viable options are limited. I could see someone like David Tepper demanding it in Carolina or the Raiders throwing a Hail Mary since they have no answer at quarterback otherwise.
Sean Settle: Aaron Rodgers has done enough in the NFL to at least be considered for a starting job at this stage in his career. However, his recent play and the drama he brings to the locker room is not something any NFL team should want. Rodgers is well into his Brett Favre Packers to Jets to Vikings storyline, but a team on the come-up is unlikely to make that a reality.
Minnesota is unlikely to make that a reality. Sam Darnold has led the team to a 9-2 record, and J.J. McCarthy is waiting in the wings to take over after his knee heals. Minnesota may constantly feel like they are a quarterback away from the Super Bowl, but Rodgers is not that quarterback. If Rodger wants to play in 2025, he is likely going to play due to his history, but I would not be interested in signing him if I were an NFL GM.
Matt Bitonti: I know I'm supposed to be this objective Footballguys analyst but as a Jets fan: no, please make this torture stop. Rodgers was washed two years ago. Now he's extra-washed. Like Homer in the shower.
Why, oh, why, Delilah!
It's one thing to pass up on the five-plus free first downs, but having a mobile quarterback gives an offense. But to have a quarterback who is too fragile to run sneak in 2024's NFL is an absolute travesty. He's done. No mas.
Justin Howe: At this moment, I can’t imagine a team giving up anything of value – even a salary – for the self-pleasing circus that follows Rodgers. His inability to make anything work in New York could’ve been ripped from a cheesy sitcom. His hand-picked receivers, offensive coordinator, and scheme all failed miserably. Davante Adams hasn’t moved the needle in the slightest, while Mike Williams caught a game-winning touchdown for the Steelers ten minutes after Rodgers ran him out of town.
All that could be forgotten in the offseason, of course, if enough bad teams get quarterback-desperate in February and start kicking the tires. But how attractive would that scenario be for the fantasy world?
Favre indeed shined in Minnesota, but only for the first of his two years there. He joined an exceptionally strong roster, one that had just won the division with Gus Frerotte under center. He was also shielded by a dazzling Adrian Peterson season, which took loads of pressure off him. His second and final season there was downright horrendous: 11 touchdowns to 19 interceptions, with his worst efficiency marks in years.
I ask you this: What comparable 2025 franchise – competent, stocked with talent, well-rounded, and just a quarterback away from contending – has the need and/or the stomach to roll the dice on a 41-year-old Rodgers? I can’t name one. That would leave him to the shaky, desperate likes of the Raiders, Titans, Browns, or someone similar.
Dan Hindery: My gut feeling is that Rodgers won’t find a team this spring willing to guarantee him a starting job next season, which could ultimately force him into retirement. The Jets are far from a perfect team, but they have plenty of talent on their roster. What NFL team could realistically look at Rodgers' performance in 2024 and believe their personnel is so much better that they could contend with him at the helm?
The one scenario that might make sense is a team paying Rodgers to be a short-term starter while also drafting a quarterback in the first or second round, with the plan for Rodgers to mentor the rookie and eventually hand over the reins during the season. However, it’s unclear if Rodgers would agree to such a role—or if he’s the kind of mentor a team would want in their locker room.
Waldman: Thanks for reading. Check out the links below for all of this week's roundtable topics:
Good luck!
