Why and how Aaron Rodgers could still be a Packer in 2022

Aaron Rodgers' holdout is finally over. After months of quiet rumors and only a small peep from Rodgers, the quarterback is back at practice.

Both sides eventually came to an agreement that this would be Rodgers' final season with the Packers. He will essentially get to choose where he plays next season. Is there any possibility that he could choose to finish his career in Green Bay? The slightest sliver? It's the hope that kills you.

That said, it's a question worth addressing. Here's how hhis holdout could have, antithetically, lengthened his time in Green Bay.

Aaron Rodgers: Back in Green?

While the holdout is over, the Packers are bending over backwards to keep Rodgers happy. They just traded for Randall Cobb, an old teammate of Aaron Rodgers who was eventually sent into exile. Additionally, with the media circulating the message that this is the "last dance" for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, other NFL players may be attracted to the team in a way they just weren't before.

Good morning, @rcobb18!#PackersCamp pic.twitter.com/4RBxBLC91s

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) July 29, 2021

Before last season, the common consensus was that the Packers were only one big free agent away from a Super Bowl-worthy roster. They have one of the top cornerbacks in the league in Jaire Alexander, one of the top receivers in the league in Davante Adams, a top-ten pass rusher in Za'Darius Smith, and a top-ten running back in Aaron Jones.

If the Packers can lure one more top receiver or defensive back to the team, they should have enough star power to reach the Super Bowl. With this publicly being Aaron Rodgers' final season in Green Bay, they may get that top player to push them over the hump.

Aaron Rodgers needs a Super Bowl

Rodgers has been crystal clear that it isn't about the money anymore. He simply wants championships. However, if the Packers win a Super Bowl in 2021, what would Rodgers really have to gain by going elsewhere? Would it be worth risking it all for a "better culture," as his statements seem to indicate?

Technically, Aaron Rodgers will run out of time in 2022. That, though, will hardly stop Rodgers from coming back if he changes his mind. The Packers made it very clear this offseason they did not want to lose Rodgers.

If Rodgers changes his mind in 2022, he will be welcomed back with open arms, especially after a Super Bowl victory.

Divisional Round - Seattle Seahawks v Green Bay Packers

In other words, it is a Super Bowl-or-bust year for the Packers and Aaron Rodgers. The door is still open if (when?) he changes his mind, but it will take a Lombardi trophy to prop the door wide open.