Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are seemingly at a crossroads this off-season. For the third straight year, the future of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is up in the air. In fact, the latest report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggests that the four-time MVP may be at the center of trade talks again this offseason. The Packers’ 2022-23 season ended much sooner than Aaron Rodgers would have hoped. Coincidentally, Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys’ season ended sooner than they would have hoped as well. On Sunday the Cowboys lost to the San Francisco 49ers 19-12 in the divisional round of the playoffs. The future of Dak Prescott in Dallas seems to be unclear, could Mike McCarthy target his former Super Bowl champion quarterback?
Could Mike McCarthy Target Aaron Rodgers During The 2023 Off-Season?
Shortly after the Cowboys’ loss, Chris Hailing posted this on Twitter:
The best things the Dallas Cowboys can do this offseason are:
- – Move on from Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.
- – Fire Kellen Moore. – Retain Dan Quinn.
- – Extend LVE, Tony Pollard, and Donovan Wilson.
- – Make a run for Lamar/Rodgers or draft a QB.
A move like this would take major salary cap maneuvers for the Dallas Cowboys. Currently, they sit just above $5 million in cap space for the 2023 NFL season. It is important to note that for the team acquiring Rodgers, they would be on the hook for the salary for the year. The cap charge would be $59,515,000 if they do not exercise his option and $15.79 million if they were to exercise the option. Rodgers has an injury guarantee of $49.25 million for 2024 but that does not become fully guaranteed until 5 days after the 2023 Super Bowl. If Rodgers was cut after 2023 it would cost the team $43.725 million on the 2024 cap. If he retired they could split that as $14.575 million in 2024 and $29.15 million in 2025. According to USA Today, the Cowboys have the following draft picks in the 2023 NFL Draft:
- 1st Round: No. 26
- 2nd Round: No. 58
- 3rd Round: No. 90
- 4th Round: Approximately No. 128
- 4th Round: Comp Pick (Randy Gregory)
- 5th Round: Approximately No. 161
- 6th Round: Comp Pick (Connor Williams)
- 6th Round: Comp Pick (Cedrick Wilson)
- 7th Round: Approximately No. 245
Putting together a trade package for Aaron Rodgers wouldn’t be hard for Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys. It would be a matter of how much they would be willing to offer and what the Packers would ask for. The other aspect of this would be Dak Prescott’s contract. Prescott is currently signed with the Cowboys through the 2024 season. Would they try to include Prescott in the trade?
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