Will Aaron Rodgers be playing for the Green Bay Packers next season? That question is everywhere, with Rodgers struggling and leaving the game with an injury against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12. It is not out of the question to think his days at Lambeau Field could be numbered.
Rodgers was asked last week about the possibility of being benched for backup Jordan Love, and No. 12 responded that he realizes the NFL is a business and that could be a possibility. He wants to play "as long as we're mathematically alive" for a playoff berth, but if/once they're eliminated, he sounds open to the discussion of letting the 2020 first-round pick get valuable NFL reps.
During a press conference Monday, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst addressed the futures of both Rodgers and Love.
With regard to Rodgers, Gutekunst called it "an offseason kind of decision, but surely, yeah, we want all our guys back. We made a big commitment to him this offseason, so that was important." In March, Rodgers signed an extension that included $150.6 million guaranteed, which suggested that he planned to stay in Green Bay through 2023 or 2024.
As for Love, Gutekunst said he has seen enough already this year to make the decision on his fifth-year option, but added that he would always benefit from watching him play more, per ESPN. That sounds like the Packers are committed to Love for the foreseeable future, whether that means picking up his fifth-year option or signing him to an extension. When he sees the field, however, all depends on Rodgers.
When asked about his Packers future following a win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Rodgers said it depends on if there is mutual interest between him and the team. One person who surely wants him back is head coach Matt LaFleur, who said "Yeah, absolutely. Of course," when asked if he'd want Rodgers as the starting QB assuming the 39-year-old still wants to play.
