It starts with a phone call.
Aaron Rodgers has yet to make a final decision on his Packers future – stay, trade or retire – but the second option has been the most talked about.
Rodgers and the Broncos have been linked since before Denver hired Green Bay offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as head coach in January.
On Tuesday, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst insisted no one had yet to inquire about Rodgers’ potential availability.
Demand #Packers GM Brian Gutekunst how many GMs pushed him to ask QB Aaron Rodgers’ price or told him to keep them in mind if he decided on a trade. “Not one,” he said. Really? Not one? “Not one.”
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) March 1, 2022
“Not one,” Gutekunst said.
CONTINUED: Will the Packers trade Aaron Rodgers?
Of the teams eventually calling on Rodgers and getting the QB’s services, the Broncos make the most sense. General manager George Paton made it clear Tuesday that the team is considering all options at quarterback this offseason — including trading future first-round picks for a franchise passer.
“I just think it’s the flexibility you have when you have a lot of choices,” Paton said. “We have 11 picks, so if we had to give a little bit to get a player, we can do it, and it won’t handcuff you for the draft… It’s all on the table – we like to have picks.”
Some have viewed the Broncos’ roster as a Super Bowl contender that only needs to add water. Denver has faced lackluster returns from the QB position since Peyton Manning’s retirement, and Rodgers could provide instant advantages, as Manning did during his time with the team.
A recent report said the Packers could make Rodgers the highest-paid player in the NFL if Rodgers chooses to return, which is not known at this point.
So, while there are points between the Packers and Broncos, they haven’t been connected yet.