Ralph Vacchiano
NFL Reporter
The failed Aaron Rodgers experiment in New York is over, with the Jets informing the 41-year-old quarterback they’re moving on from him.
Rodgers’ career might still continue, however.
The fading future Hall of Famer has not yet announced a decision on whether he’ll retire, but FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported “all signs point to” Rodgers continuing to play. Fortunately for him, despite his advanced age, recent injury history and decline in performance, several teams are unresolved at the QB position and a few are likely willing to give him a shot.
Though a lot can still change between now and the start of free agency next month, when Rodgers is expected to be available to the highest bidder, here’s a look at the five viable destinations for him in 2025.
They have insisted they are committed to Anthony Richardson as their quarterback, but that’s easy to say until they’re faced with better options. The 22-year-old has been shaky, injury prone, and unreliable during his first two NFL seasons. Maybe there’s a lot of potential there, but who knows how long it’ll take to come out?
Rodgers would obviously be an instant upgrade and his presence would afford Richardson the time he has probably always needed to sit behind a veteran and learn. The Colts have some decent receivers in Josh Downs, Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman — all of whom would make solid Nos. 2 or 3 behind Adams, if Rodgers can bring him along. Running back Jonathan Taylor also adds a powerful incentive, as does the offensive mind of head coach Shane Steichen.
There should be no doubt that soon-to-be new coach Kellen Moore would prefer Rodgers over Derek Carr, who is nearly eight full years younger than Rodgers but seems to be having the same injury and age issues. And it wouldn’t be hard to sell Rodgers on a team that has Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara to start on offense, and being coached by one of the brightest offensive minds in the game.
The biggest issue with the Saints is their salary cap situation. They are projected to be about $54 million over the salary cap, which means they have a lot of money (and players) to shred to get under. They could get $30 million of that back by cutting Carr (though he’d leave more than $50 million in “dead money” behind), but they’d still have a ton of work to do to get to a place where they can pay Rodgers what he would surely demand — not to mention what they’d have to pay the friends he’d certainly want to bring to New Orleans with him.
It just might not be financially possible, unless Rodgers is willing to take a lot less money than most starting QBs get in this era.
The new coaching staff has surely come to the decision that 34-year-old Geno Smith isn’t the right guy for them moving forward, but they’re far enough down in the draft (18th) that replacing him won’t be easy. So, if they’re going to dip into the free-agent market anyway, why not get the best available guy, even if it’s only a short-term solution?
And the Seahawks are attractive. They are loaded with receivers (D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Tyler Lockett) and impressive running backs (Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet). They went 10-7 last season in the competitive NFC West despite some shaky play at the quarterback position. Rodgers has to see a playoff window here, if not more.
Seattle is also not all that far from Northern California, where he grew up, in case that matters to him at all.
If anyone understands the importance of a quarterback to a franchise, it’s Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, who is just the right man to convince Rodgers that there’s hope in the dysfunctional Raiders organization. They would need to add a lot more than Rodgers to be competitive, but it wouldn’t be shocking if they lured his best-buddy/No. 1 receiver Davante Adams back for another ride on the Strip, too.
There is a good chance they’ll be able to draft a quarterback at No. 6, so they’d have to sell Rodgers on the idea of being both a starter and a mentor. But if they convince him that they’ll be able to add enough pieces to be competitive next season under new coach Pete Carroll, that’s something Rodgers might be willing to do.
They have already been installed as the even-money betting favorite, and for good reasons. They had two quarterbacks on their roster last season — Russell Wilson and Justin Fields — and both are scheduled to be free agents in March. Fields is almost certainly a goner since he lost his job to Wilson early in the season. And Wilson faded badly enough during the Steelers’ season-ending, five-game losing streak that the 36-year-old probably played himself right out of another contract in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers were 10-3 at one point this season. They have a strong defense and running game. There’s a good argument to be made that they’re a quarterback away from being a Super Bowl contender. They’re not likely to find one that’s ready to start with the 21st pick of the draft, and the free-agent market isn’t stellar. Rodgers might be a risk, but he’s undoubtedly the most talented quarterback among an underwhelming bunch.
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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