Amari Rodgers could use a change of scenery
Fumbling a punt return in London might have been the last straw for Amari Rodgers’ future as a Green Bay Packers player. The second-year Clemson product has Packers fans calling for him to be cut from the roster. Amari appears not to have a good relationship with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It’s easy to see why after his play against the Giants in Week 5.
Amari’s performances in nearly a season and a half do not bode well for the former third-round draft pick. After 21 games in the NFL, Amari has only 45 yards receiving on four catches and no touchdowns. He’s been the Packers’ return specialist, but if he can’t be trusted to catch the ball and hold on to it, he’s useless to the Packers.
The Packers would waste value by cutting him. One analyst thinks Amari is ripe for a trade. A new team might be a good thing for a wide receiver who wants to gain the trust of a quarterback. Aaron will probably never be that quarterback.
NFL writer suggests a swap with the Steelers
ESPN staff writer Bill Barnwell wrote about potential trade deadline proposals teams should entertain. Barnwell thinks the Packers should swap Amari and a 2023 fourth-round pick with the Pittsburgh Steelers for wide receiver Chase Claypool and a 2024 seventh-round pick.
“Let me go back to my mock draft of trades from April and pitch a Claypool-to-Packers deal for the second time. The price is much cheaper than it was then, but the Packers still need help for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay is relying on Allen Lazard, Romeo Doubs and Randall Cobb as its primary wideouts, and we saw the limitations of that grouping against the Giants in Week 5. It doesn’t appear Christian Watson is ready to jump in as an immediate starter, either.
Trading for Claypool would give the Packers access to a low-cost starter over the next two seasons while buying low on a receiver who has never played with even an average deep passer as a pro. Claypool would need some time to settle in, but he could be a vertical difference-maker by the time the Packers get to the postseason, something Green Bay could sorely use as it tries to stop teams from selling out to stop the run.
The Packers have refused to make a significant investment at wide receiver over the past few years, but given how little their passing attack has shown this season, I’m hoping Brian Gutekunst is willing to take the plunge.”
This isn’t exactly an exciting addition to the wide receiver room like Odell Beckham Jr. or D.J. Moore would be, but it’s better than keeping Amari around.
An Amari Rodgers trade for Chase Claypool could benefit both teams
This trade makes sense for both teams and players. Amari Rodgers would be able to start anew in an offense that rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett is leading. Pickett is learning the NFL game, and Amari would have the opportunity to grow in a young offense with fewer expectations than the current Packers team he’s on. He and rookie wide receiver George Pickens could be the start of something special in Pittsburgh.
Claypool could benefit from having a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers throwing his way. Claypool has underperformed in his first three years in the league. However, Claypool has been paired with an old Ben Roethlisberger in the previous two seasons, Mitchell Trubisky and Pickett, this season.
Claypool has the size to be a big target for Aaron and could help be a deep threat in the passing game. Claypool isn’t a returner, but as a wide receiver, he’s been much better than Amari. He has 11 catching touchdowns and 1,862 yards receiving. The former Notre Dame standout has also impacted the Steelers’ running game with two touchdowns and 159 rushing yards.