3 best Aaron Rodgers trade destinations if the Jets decide to move on in 2025

The New York Jets' season took another dispiriting turn on Sunday with a crushing 28-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Anthony Richardson stepped back into the starting gig after a brief hiatus and delivered mixed but ultimately positive results for Indy. As for Rodgers and the Jets, well, it was a tough outing all around.

Rodgers' connection with Davante Adams was strong, as we've come to expect, but that's about all the Jets offense had going for it. Now 3-8 on the season, the Jets can't help but look ahead to 2025. The playoffs are out of the question, and Rodgers' performance continues to underwhelm relative to the lofty expectations associated with his Hall of Fame resume.

Should we have expected so much in his age-40 season on the wrong side of an Achilles injury? Probably not, but Rodgers is such a gifted processor and passer, that it was hard not to get one's hopes up, even after all the off-field noise. Alas, the Jets curse remains as strong as ever. It's difficult to imagine a quarterback with the willpower and talent necessary to lead this franchise out of purgatory, but it's not Aaron Rodgers — at least not in his current state.

That brings up a fascinating question about the future. What if the Jets are done with the Rodgers experience? What if he's done with the Jets experience? Rodgers' 2025 contract is non-guaranteed with a potential cap hit of $23.5 million. There's a world in which he ends up in trade talks. Somebody will be desperate enough to kick the tires on a four-time MVP.

And, you know what, maybe they should. Rodgers is still better than a lot of middling starters, despite the Jets' struggles. Here are a few trade destinations that could actually work out.

3. Aaron Rodgers can put Seahawks over the top in winnable NFC West

With Geno Smith off the books at season's end, the Seattle Seahawks will soon be in search of their next quarterback. Sam Howell made a few eye-popping throws in Washington last season, but he's not a bankable long-term option. The 2025 NFL Draft, meanwhile, is rather bleak on the quarterback front. The Seahawks probably aren't bad enough to land Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward, and the pickings are slim after that. I'd personally not want to stake my team's future on Carson Beck.

That could put Seattle in the market for an experienced, stopgap veteran in the vein of Aaron Rodgers. This obviously wouldn't be a long-term arrangement, but Rodgers could have what it takes to push Seattle over the top in a wide-open NFC West. The 49ers are mulling around in mediocrity right now, the Rams are on the decline, and it's hard to take the Cardinals seriously.

Seattle has to be fairly happy with the early results from new head coach Mike Macdonald, even with a few tough losses on its ledger. The offense has been popping with Smith at the commands. Seattle's 268.2 passing yards per game leads the NFL right now. We know Ryan Grubb loves to air it out. One has to think he could strike up a positive relationship with Rodgers, who would have D.K. Metcalf, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and a nice collection of pass-catchers to throw to.

This is probably the best marriage of personnel and opportunity for Rodgers. The Seahawks are a competently run organization with a talented roster and a real shot at contending in the NFC, which feels more friendly than the AFC these days. Man... maybe this should, like, definitely happen?

2. Tom Brady could work his magic to bring Aaron Rodgers to the Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders are stuck between a rock and a hard place at the quarterback position. Gardner Minshew clearly isn't good enough to hold them over to the next guy, and it's desperately unclear who the "next guy" is. Aidan O'Connell hasn't shown enough to inspire confidence. We can't peg Desmond Ridder as the future. And, after whiffing on the best quarterbacks in the 2024 draft, Las Vegas is staring down the barrel of the notoriously flimsy QB class of 2025. Las Vegas might be better off waiting another year to draft its "quarterback of the future."

With Tom Brady expected to take the heavy-handed approach to ownership, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Raiders pursue a more established option in the short term. Why not Aaron Rodgers? If anybody can convince Rodgers to make the trek to Sin City, it's probably Brady. Plus, there's just something fitting to the idea of Rodgers in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas has a coach who elicits buy-in from his players in Antonio Pierce. It's somewhat bad timing for Rodgers to join the Raiders after Davante Adams gets traded to New York, but hey, Adams can always return to Las Vegas in free agency if it's a package deal situation. The Raiders' defense has compelling elements, and the offensive personnel isn't completely barren. Brock Bowers is rapidly approaching top-five tight end territory and he'd figure to forge a productive bond with Rodgers.

The Raiders are desperate enough to throw a few picks at the Jets in exchange for a splashy name at the quarterback position. Rodgers still thinks the game at a high level and he'd bring a sense of credibility to an organization in flux. It's probably not the best idea for either side, but it's not hard to imagine the Raiders tossing their hat in the ring for Rodgers. Their needs align.

1. Aaron Rodgers could save the NY Giants from Daniel Jones

Daniel Jones' contract comes off the books at the end of the season for the New York Giants. The conventional wisdom has been that New York will select its next quarterback in the draft, but again, the pickings are slim. Unless the Giants are in prime position and extremely excited about a Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward, there's merit to the idea of looking for a short-term veteran to carry the mantle until 2026.

Rodgers does seem to like New York, if not the Jets organization in particular, so this trade would certainly be the easiest from a personal standpoint. He can stay in the same house, drive to the same stadium. It's clean and simple. The Jets and Giants are "rivals" by proximity, but they're in different conferences. This puts Rodgers in the NFC, effectively out of sight and out of mind for a Jets team presumably hoping to rebuild.

The Giants' roster management last summer was not ideal, but Malik Nabers is the real freakin' deal at wide receiver, and he'd figure to fill the Garrett Wilson-Davante Adams role admirably as the Giants build their offense around Rodgers. Beef up the O-line a bit, splurge on a few veteran receivers around Nabers, and suddenly the Giants at least have the appearance of a competent team in the rough-and-tumble NFC East.

Should Rodgers go to a division where he's bumping up against Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, and Dak Prescott? Maybe not. But the Giants offer a premier market and a sense of history at the quarterback position, plus the aforementioned benefits of locale. This idea is certainly worth chewing on.