“Gutekunst is ready to rip the band-aid off” - NFL insider believes Packers GM is ready to move on from Aaron Rodgers 

Will the Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst move from quarterback Aaron Rodgers? NBC Sports NFL analyst Mike Florio stated that the Green Bay GM could be prepared to move on from their franchise signal-caller.

On an episode of Pro Football Talk, Florio stated that he senses that Gutekunst wants Rodgers to leave the Packers and rip off the proverbial band-aid:

“I’m gonna get a hostile text message or a hostile phone call from somebody for saying this. And I'm not saying who it's gonna come from, whether it's the team or, I'm just gonna say it. I almost feel like Gutekunst wants him to go. I almost feel like Gutekunst is ready to rip the band-aid off. This guy has been a pain in the ass for the past couple years. He's getting in the way of what we're trying to do building a team long-term. We're doing too much to have to cater to this guy. We have to turn upside down the way we run on our own football team. We got a guy who wants a seat at the table when we don't traditionally give guys seats at the table. They're here, they play, that's their job, and when the job's over, they move on.

Florio concluded his statement by asserting that Gutekunst didn’t want to bring back wide receiver Randall Cobb and quarterbacks coach Tom Clements but did so to appease Rodgers:

We're gonna bring back Randall Cobb. I didn't want to bring back Randall Cobb. They're gonna bring back Tom Clements. I didn't want to bring back Tom Clements, we fired him for a reason. I'm sick of having to tiptoe around this guy. It's better to just move on. I feel like at some level consciously or subconsciously, Gutekunst is just ready to move on. And these statements he’s made last week make me think that it's a manifestation of his desire to just get this thing over with.”

What Will Rodgers Do?

Green Bay Packers v Minnesota Vikings

The four-time All-Pro quarterback holds all the cards as there are three options that he and the Packers have on the table. First, he returns to Green Bay for his 18th season in 2022 and 15th as the team’s starting quarterback.

Second, the 38-year-old and Gutekunst work on a trade to send him to a team he wants or has a strong interest in him. Teams like the Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, and San Francisco 49ers are possibly interested in the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

Lastly, Rodgers could retire and call it a career, finishing his career number 10 in NFL history in passing yards (55,360 yards), fifth in passing touchdowns (449), and second in passer rating (104.5).

Rodgers finished second in Packers franchise history in passing yards behind Hall of Famer Brett Favre (61,655) and the leader in passing touchdowns. We’ll see how this offseason unfolds and where the quarterback will be in 2022.