NFL insiders float surprising Vikings scenario for Aaron Rodgers after blockbuster trade shakes up the market
Aaron Rodgers is closer than ever to fulfill the repetition of Brett Favre's destiny. After being traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets and released, Rodgers might go to the exact place Favre went to finish up his career.This might sound crazy, but Rodgers to the Minnesota Vikings is a real […]
Aaron Rodgers is closer than ever to fulfill the repetition of Brett Favre's destiny. After being traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets and released, Rodgers might go to the exact place Favre went to finish up his career.
This might sound crazy, but Rodgers to the Minnesota Vikings is a real possibility at this point. After the Seattle Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round pick on Friday night, they are expected to be interested in Sam Darnold.
With Darnold out of the equation for the Vikings, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is looking for options to complement the quarterback room beyond J.J. McCarthy. One option is Daniel Jones, who finished last season on the Vikings. But Aaron Rodgers is in play.
According to NFL Network's insider Ian Rapoport, "Aaron Rodgers lurks, considering the Giants with the Vikings as a dark horse."
Insider Mike Garafolo also mentioned Rodgers as a possibility for the Vikings, which would mean facing the Green Bay Packers twice a year.
Current situation
The Vikings have J.J. McCarthy and Brett Rypien under contract at quarterback. McCarthy, last-year's first-round pick, missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury. He is expected to be ready by Week 1, but the Vikings still want to add a veteran option like they did with Darnold last season.
At this moment, Aaron Rodgers is still technically under contract with the New York Jets. However, as the team has already publicly revealed its plans to release him, Rodgers is allowed to talk to other franchises. The Jets will officially release Rodgers on Wednesday, so they can apply a post-June 1st designation and split his dead money in two years.
Rivalry history
Back in the 2000s, Brett Favre retired and unretired multiple times in his final seasons with the Packers. In 2008, general manager Ted Thompson said the team didn't want him anymore, and he would be traded.
Favre asked to be released, but the Packers declined the request and traded him to the Jets. After one season, he was released by New York and ended up going to the place he wanted to be in the previous offseason, playing two seasons for the Vikings.
Rodgers' situation is different because it doesn't feel like he truly wants to be a Packers rival. The relationship between the quarterback and the organization is healthier. But if the Vikings offer Rodgers the best situation to win, it's realistic to think that he would consider it.
There are a lot of dominos to fall, but Aaron Rodgers playing for the Vikings doesn't sound so absurd as it could have two days ago.
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