Decision Time for Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers has resurfaced from his darkness retreat, but as of Friday morning, we remain in the dark in relation to his intention.

According to ESPN, the Green Bay Packers QB left his meditation facility on Wednesday having arrived on Monday. That 4-day retreat turned into a 2-day retreat. Maybe he got bored in the gloom or maybe he had his epiphany earlier than expected.

Rodgers said that he was heading into the darkness to “have a better sense of where I’m at in my life.” It’s now expected that Rodgers will meet with the Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst over the coming days when a decision on his future will be made.

According to Jeff Darlington, who has a highly placed Packers source, if Rodgers wants to continue playing in 2023, the expectation is that it’ll be in Green Bay with the team wanting him, as long as he is fully bought in.

Ever since this drama began, the most likely scenario was that he would return to Green Bay in 2023 if he decided to continue playing. Before heading into the darkness he spoke about Green Bay always being home: “Eighteen years, man. That’s always gonna be home,”

Whether he plays with the Packers or asks to be traded elsewhere, a renegotiation on his contract will need to happen first. Rodgers is on the books for nearly $60 million in 2023.

We know that the New York Jets have an interest in Rodgers, with Jeremy Fowler stating that Joe Douglas has inquired about trading for the 18-year veteran. Douglas also inquired about trading for Derek Carr before the Raiders cut him. Carr would later visit the Jets' facilities, and by all accounts that visit went very well.

I’m personally still not sold on trading away valuable assets for a short-term fix, believing that the Jets are more than a QB away from a championship. But I know that some fans have everything crossed that he’ll be making the jump to NY. The expectation is that we’ll get some clarity on the situation in the coming days.