Aaron Rodgers sent shockwaves through Green Bay Packers fandom and the NFL during his Tuesday interview on The Pat McAfee Show, a program’s cast that includes former NFL players like McAfee, A.J. Hawk and Darius Butler. Among other things, Rodgers stated that he believes he can still win MVP, he will not be a part of any rebuild, and that he is not emotionally or mentally prepared to decide what his future will be. For many people, Rodgers’ words have divided the Packers’ fanbase and NFL analysts. Some believe he should come back while others want him to retire or for the Packers to trade him.
Darius Butler Optomsitc Rodgers Returns to Green Bay
As Aaron Rodgers himself does not yet know what he will do in 2023, all the rest of us can do is guess what will happen. That being said, there are more than a few current and former players that believe that Rodgers will return to the Packers in 2023. One of these is Darius Butler. He was on The Pat McAfee Show himself on Wednesday and gave his thoughts:
"I believe Aaron Rodgers will be back in Green Bay but if he isn't there will be a lot of teams waiting" ~ @DariusJButler#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/rSaWsY68qg
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 18, 2023
What Needs to Happen for Aaron Rodgers to Return
Darius Butler stated that he believes that Aaron Rodgers will return to the Packers in 2023. However, he also says that if Rodgers wants to leave Green Bay, plenty of teams will be waiting to trade for his services. To avoid trading Rodgers, the Packers must ensure that they are “reloading” as opposed to “rebuilding.” Rodgers stated that he has no intention of being a part of any rebuild. If he feels that is the direction the Packers are going, he will request a trade.
Aaron Rodgers also listed five players that he would like to have back: Marcedes Lewis, Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard, David Bakhtiari, and Robert Tonyan. All but Bakhtiari are free agents, while Bakhtiari himself is a possible salary cap cut candidate. It will be interesting to see which of these players, if any, the Packers bring back to appease Rodgers.
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