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Last year, it seems Aaron Rodgers donned his parachute, got on the plane, waited for it to gain altitude, stood by the open door. And then decided not to jump.
This year, Rodgers appears to be donning the parachute again.
In his comments to Pat McAfee and AJ Hawk Tuesday, it was made abundantly clear that Rodgers will at least consider the possibility of playing for another team. And with many teams potentially looking for new quarterbacks, we decided to create a list of potential targets — if only to check them off.
Here’s the largest possible list we could think of, presented in the order I think the rankings are in: AFC, then NFC; East, North, South, West.
nozzles.
They consider their options. And owner Woody Johnson has expressed his willingness to shell out money for the right player. Would they go all in for a 39-year-old quarterback like they did for a then 38-year-old Brett Favre 15 years ago?
Would Rodgers be willing to trade Wisconsin’s largely friendly borders for New York? Jets fans would roll out the red carpet for him. The moment he slips, they’ll boo him louder than he’s ever been booed before.
dolphins
This one is fascinating. The Dolphins put together a great offensive under Coach Mike McDaniel. That made quarterback Tua Tagovailoa look good. What would it do for someone like Rodgers?
That’s a question Dolphins fans need to ask themselves. Though their intense loyalty to Tua has led them to sometimes wonder about the possible limits of his overall abilities, avid Dolphins fans should be prepared to question whether the team could be even better with a better quarterback.
Rodgers would be a better quarterback. He could be the difference between a .500 hover and a Super Bowl run.
patriots.
If Mac Jones is out, could Rodgers be in it? A Rodgers pairing with Bill Belichick would be intriguing. The real question is whether the Patriots would have enough around Rodgers to make it work for both the player and the team.
ravens
If they trade Lamar Jackson, they need a new quarterback. The easy move would be to uplift Tyler Huntley. The more difficult move would be to acquire a quarterback whose presence requires an offense overhaul.
All in all, that doesn’t make any sense. It would be too big an investment and too dramatic a change.
Titans.
You have a chance to get very good again quickly. Strong defense, Derrick Henry, great coach. Tennessee makes a lot of sense for Rodgers.
texan
Rodgers said Tuesday that he doesn’t want to be part of a rebuild. So cross the Texans off this list.
Foal.
This one makes sense for Rodgers. It doesn’t make sense for the Colts, who desperately need to break the habit of year-long agreements with aging quarterbacks, a year late.
Robber.
The Raiders are looking for a new quarterback. Whether Rodgers and coach Josh McDaniels would work well together would be a very real question. And if the goal for Rodgers is to win for the division, he probably shouldn’t pick the one that features Patrick Mahomes.
commanders.
They plan to continue with Sam Howell. If Rodgers was interested, they would have to at least consider the possibility. As for the difficulty of the division, however, Rodgers would probably be wise to consider a location other than the NFC East.
Panthers.
Owner David Tepper is always on the lookout for a franchise quarterback. And the team is good enough to go head-to-head with someone like Rodgers on the list.
privateer.
Again, Rodgers doesn’t want to be part of a rebuilding effort. The Buccaneers suddenly feel trapped in this mode. Next.
saints.
This one would have been fascinating a year or two ago. Now it feels like the Saints are at too big a crossroads to seduce Rodgers. Also, they would have a hard time finding the space for the cap to absorb his contract.
hawks.
This one is fascinating. The Falcons have won more games in the last two years than anyone expected. They have some very talented skill position players. You may be on the verge of slipping into “Contender” status. Rodgers could take her there.
49ers
In April 2021, the 49ers attempted to trade for Rodgers. Since then they’ve given up way too much to get Trey Lance and they’ve come across Brock Purdy. If they add an aging veteran to the quarterback position, they’re much more likely to sign Tom Brady.
Seahawks.
Geno Smith wants to stay, and the Seahawks seem to want him. However, if Rodgers is hoping to play on the West Coast, he’s probably the closest thing to California — Las Vegas aside.