The 2023 NFL quarterback market got a major shakeup as Tom Brady announced his retirement. Although Brady has once before retired and unretired, his decision now seems final. His decision seismically alters the market for starting quarterbacks in the NFL. In that market, The Green Bay Packers may be sellers attempting to trade Aaron Rodgers.
Aaron Rodgers is more valuable with Tom Brady off the market
Simple supply and demand dictate that Rodgers has become a more valuable commodity today. With his contract expiring, Brady was widely expected to test the free agent market. Among the teams deemed most likely to woo his services were the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets. Reports have also indicated the Raiders and Jets have an interest in trading for Rodgers.
Before Brady’s retirement, the Jets and Raiders could have each obtained Brady or Rodgers. If the Jets preferred Rodgers but Green Bay traded him to the Raiders, the Jets could have attempted to sign Brady. Conversely, the Raiders could have attempted to sign Brady if trade talks for Rodgers failed.
With Brady off the market, the Packers could force the Raiders and Jets into a bidding war for Rodgers. Absent a Brady backup plan, Rodgers is likely seen as far more valuable than the second-best option on the market.
Aaron Rodgers is far more valuable than NFL Free Agent QBs
After Aaron Rodgers, the next-best options available for teams in the quarterback carousel are Jimmy Garoppolo and Derek Carr. Vegas is already set to part ways with Carr, so he is not an option at quarterback for the Raiders. Garoppolo was actively shopped for a trade by the San Francisco 49ers last season and the team failed to find a willing trade partner for him.
The remaining free agent quarterbacks are Lamar Jackson and Geno Smith. The Ravens are reportedly placing the franchise tag on Jackson to keep him in Baltimore. Smith, while performing admirably for Seattle this season, is not going to be valued as highly as Rodgers who is one season removed from winning back-to-back MVPs.
Will Aaron Rodgers retire with Tom Brady?
Tom Brady’s retirement assures one thing in the Aaron Rodgers saga: Rodgers is not retiring this offseason. The idea that Rodgers would not retire with Brady is wide-held. Rodgers values the way his legacy is perceived and appreciated. With Brady and Rodgers both headed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, each almost certainly on the first ballot, that would mean the two quarterbacks would share a stage in Canton if Rodgers were to also retire this offseason. It is unimaginable that Rodgers would be willing to do that.
I've never thought Aaron Rodgers was retiring. He definitely isn't now. There's no way Rodgers is going to be in the same Hall of Fame class as Tom Brady where he would take a backseat.
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) February 1, 2023
So, since Tom Brady’s retiring, I think it’s a pretty safe bet that Aaron Rodgers plays in 2023. A guy with that kind of ego — it’s not a bad thing, but let’s be real here — isn’t going to be overshadowed on the Hall of Fame stage.
— zach jacobson (@itszacharyj) February 1, 2023
Reitrement is off the table which leaves Rodgers and the Packers with two options remaining. If Rodgers and the Packers both want to stay together in Green Bay, then Brady’s retirement likely played no role in that decision. If the Packers or Rodgers wish for the three-time MVP to play elsewhere, then the Packers are likely going to get more in return now than if Tom Brady remained on the market.
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