The writing appears to be on the wall for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.
The Packers drafted Utah State quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft despite Rodgers being signed through the 2023 season.
The common sentiment is that Rodgers will play out the 2020 season with the Packers and then hand over the keys to Love.
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Speculation already has started about where the 36-year-old Rodgers could play in 2021.
One anonymous NFL executive told The Athletic's Mike Sando that the Las Vegas Raiders could be an option for the former standout Cal Bears quarterback.
"One exec wondered if the Raiders could be a prime destination for Aaron Rodgers next offseason, under the thinking that the Packers’ selection of Jordan Love in the first round could be the beginning of the end for Rodgers in Green Bay. The Raiders’ weaponry could be appealing to a quarterback accustomed to playing in recent years with a solid offensive line, but just one upper-tier wideout and nothing dynamic at tight end."
“I think they are locked in (with Rodgers) for two more years, but it is not many times a player of that magnitude gets that challenge, particularly at that position, and then to do it with a completely boom-or-bust guy is interesting,” another anonymous NFL exec told Sando.
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If the Raiders were to bring in Rodgers, that would mean they've cut ties with Derek Carr, who is signed through the 2022 season.
Going from the 29-year-old Carr to the aging Rodgers would be a gutsy move for coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock, but with the team set to begin playing in Las Vegas this year, adding a big-name quarterback wouldn't be surprising.
Carr has fallen out of favor with Raiders fans in recent years, so every time a marquee quarterback might be available, the masses call for the team to make a change.
This offseason, the Raiders kicked the tires on signing six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota signed with the Raiders, and some already want him to start over Carr.
Carr addressed all the rumors in a recent interview with The Athletic.
“I gotta be honest with you, it doesn’t even bother me one bit,” Carr told Vic Tafur. “And that is being completely true to myself. No one outside of who I am is going to push me harder than me. Like, I always encourage guys to go ahead and wake up when I wake up, study how much I study, work hard like I work hard. I’m not the least bit looking to my left or to my right when I’m doing a rep, I’m focused on me.
Rodgers might be the shiny toy Gruden, Mayock and Raiders fans want, but Carr still is the better option right now and for the next few years.
Yes, Carr only has one winning record in his six seasons as the starter for Raiders, but with limited weapons last season, he set a career-high for passing yards and completion percentage.
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Gruden and Mayock added wide receivers Henry Ruggs, Lynn Bowden and Bryan Edwards during the recently-completed NFL draft, giving Carr more weapons to work with.
If the Raiders are trying to build a sustainable contender for years to come, Rodgers shouldn't be their quarterback in 2021 or 2022.
