Get out your crystal ball: Where will Aaron Rodgers be playing in 2022?
Jeremy Fowler: Denver. Extending the Packers marriage feels like a real possibility based on the way this season has gone -- good vibes, more synergy with the front office and more wins. But the money usually tells the story in the NFL, and Rodgers' contract restructure leaves a $46 million cap hit in 2022. I just don't see the Packers carrying that number for any player, though perhaps they could do a new deal if they really wanted. Denver has a ready-made roster, with a top-10 defense, good line play, good running backs and plenty of playmakers. Rodgers could follow Peyton Manning's late-career playbook.
Dan Graziano: Denver's my pick, too, for all of the reasons you state there and because Green Bay will surely want him out of the NFC if it does (as I still expect) decide to move on. Other interesting potential AFC destinations, to me, include Cleveland (if it decides Baker Mayfield isn't good enough), Las Vegas (if a new administration decides to move on with a different quarterback from Derek Carr, which they might or might not) and Pittsburgh, who will need someone to replace the likely retiring Ben Roethlisberger. Any of those make sense to you if Denver doesn't get him?
Fowler: Those all make sense for different reasons. Rodgers seems to have a public affinity for Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who appears partial to a veteran quarterback in the post-Roethlisberger era. The Raiders are such a wild card, as you mentioned, because we don't know what a new coach or general manager would want. And they have a good starter in Carr. But, if Rodgers' priorities are being on the West Coast and having control over the offense, perhaps Vegas would slide into contention.
The Browns are a fascinating option that probably hasn't been explored enough. From the Odell Beckham Jr. saga to countless injuries, Mayfield has been involved in so many subplots that have distracted from the season. Not all of that is his fault, of course. But he did, in a recent interview with NFL Network's Kurt Warner, allude to "internal things" being an issue for him. That leads to questions about offensive cohesion with coaches or teammates. You just wonder where the Mayfield-Browns marriage will stand at season's end, and if Cleveland, with a talented roster, will pursue Rodgers.
Graziano: The Mayfield situation is fascinating. Current general manager Andrew Berry was in the Browns' front office (though not in his current role) when the team drafted Mayfield at No. 1 overall. But then-GM John Dorsey really made that pick almost on his own from what I understand, and either way the current coaching staff wasn't there at the time. It's not unreasonable to think that two years with Mayfield has or will convince coach Kevin Stefanski he's not the guy who can take them where they need to go. And if they reach that conclusion, you're right, they need to keep all options on the table to maximize the talent elsewhere on the roster.
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