No pick shook up the NFL landscape more coming out of the 1st round of the draft this year than the Green Bay Packers. That came when they traded up from #30 overall to #26 to secure Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. This despite Aaron Rodgers, their future Hall of Famer, having just led the team to a 13-3 record and an NFC championship. Many see the writing on the wall with this pick. Look at contract situations, most believe Rodgers has two years left in Green Bay with an exit likely by 2022 at the latest.
People have tried to spin this as the Packers just preparing for the future in case Rodgers suddenly has a drop off. Others don't see it that way. It's a deliberate power play by the GM and head coach to begin the process of pushing Rodgers out the door. Michael Wilbon of ESPN said as much on "Pardon The Interruption" when asked about it.
"My god, the Packers they just took two hands and said, 'We're going to nudge you gently towards the door.' How can you take this any other way?"
Word is already filtering out that Rodgers was not warned about the pick. He's not happy about it either. Wilbon went even further, saying he can predict where the star QB will end up playing a couple of years down the road.
"Tony, I understand their thinking. You know what I see? I'm going to tell you something now that you're going to think's preposterous. Aaron Rodgers is going to be in a Bears uniform sometime in the next couple of years. That's going to happen."
Aaron Rodgers continues to mirror Brett Favre
It's rather remarkable how similar the career paths have been between Rodgers and Favre. Both were dominant for the first half of their careers, winning multiple MVP awards. Both won a Super Bowl but came up short despite several opportunities afterward. Now both have experienced their team drafting a successor in the 1st round before they truly believe they're done.
Favre was angry when the Packers shoved him out the door in 2008, exiling him to the New York Jets. After a year there, he ended up signing with the Minnesota Vikings just so he could get his revenge on Green Bay. Wilbon has seen this movie before and believes this is the sequel. Rodgers will be pushed out of town well before he feels he's done. He might spend a year on another team then return to the NFC North. This time though it will be the Bears instead of the Vikings who welcome him in.
The story practically writes itself.
