Aaron Rodgers is a man with a plan.
His tenure with the New York Jets did not end well. After missing all but four snaps of his first season due to an Achilles injury, Rodgers' triumphant return was undermined by poor coaching, a makeshift roster, and his ongoing battle with Father Time. Rodgers was plenty productive in a vacuum — 3,897 passing yards and 28 touchdowns — but the Jets won five games.
It was pure fodder for the skeptics tired of the Aaron Rodgers Media Complex. For all his talk about avoiding distractions and focusing on football, never has a man focused less on football. In the span of two years, Rodgers entertained a vice presidential run, did weekly segments on the Pat McAfee Show, and said all the wrong things to reporters. He made himself easy to hate. When the Jets struggled, there was no more patience left. The four-time MVP has lost almost all benefit of the doubt.
And yet... there's still a good chance Rodgers ends up somewhere else next season. He's 41, but Tom Brady is proof that the greats can keep chugging along well into their 40s. Rodgers is a competitive soul and he's probably not satisfied with ending his storied career on a five-win season. It's just a matter of finding a team willing to embrace Rodgers and all the outside noise that comes with him.
It would appear that Rodgers has a dream team lined up. The California kid wants to spend next season on the Los Angeles Rams.
Aaron Rodgers wants to reunite with Davante Adams on the Rams, but will L.A. have him?
"Sources tell the [New York] Daily News that Rodgers, 41, prefers to play for the Rams and that the outgoing Jets QB would bring Davante Adams with him once the Jets wide receiver becomes a free agent," writes Pat Leonard.
Adams is still stuck in contract limbo with the Jets, but it's only a matter of time until the veteran wideout hits free agency. Despite all the discussion around Adams' age, he put up 847 yards and seven touchdowns in just 11 games with Rodgers last season, averaging a healthy 12.7 yards per catch. That connection remains as strong as ever, and one has to believe LA would be interested in Adams with the more expensive Cooper Kupp already halfway out the door.
That said, are the Rams actually interested in Rodgers? There has not been much firm reporting on the subject, but Los Angeles would clearly prefer to keep Matthew Stafford. In a perfect world, Stafford's exploration of the trade market would yield zero offers in his target range of $50 million-plus. If the Rams can keep Stafford at a more affordable number, perhaps around $40 million annually, then that is what the Rams will do. Stafford undoubtedly wants to stay in L.A., too. It's a matter of hammering out the right contract.
Rodgers' NFL futute hangs in the balance. He's not going to sign up for a rebuild and only so many contenders need a quarterback. If the Rams pipe dream flames out, Rodgers may struggle to find viable alternatives. The Steelers stand out, but Pittsburgh has a couple incumbent options to consider. Cleveland wants to contend, but last season tells a different story. The Raiders also want to contend, but is hiring 74-year-old Pete Carroll to coach 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers the best path forward? Doubt it.
If there's one factor working in Rodgers' favor, it's that Los Angeles can presumably sign the four-time MVP for a significantly lower price than Stafford. And, be honest... we all want to see what Rodgers looks like in the Sean McVay offense.