Shrine Bowl Rumor Mill: Aaron Rodgers to Denver Trade isn't a Stretch

When NFL front-office and scouting personnel descend on one locale, the rumor mill is bound to heat up.

Las Vegas, NV. – It was an extremely busy Saturday as the first day of practice began at the East-West Shrine Bowl. All 32 NFL teams have been represented heavily including the Denver Broncos scouting staff that was dispatched to scout players in Sin City.

One of the biggest reasons that I’ve hit the road the last four years to cover the all-star road trip is because talent can come from anywhere, and nothing compares to evaluating players in person as they’re under pressure in pursuit of capturing their NFL dreams. Another reason I hit the road is that these pre-draft events are a Mecca for NFL scouts, coaches, agents, and analysts and I can pick up the latest buzz and rumors across the league.

After announcing Nathaniel Hackett as the Broncos' 18th head coach on Friday, speculation of Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers following his former coordinator to Denver was rekindled with gusto. While I truly believe GM George Paton targeted Hackett as the ideal candidate due to his leadership, energy, and vision for the franchise, two things can be true at the same time.

Perhaps Hackett is the right man for Denver, and perhaps Rodgers could be dealt from the frozen tundra of Wisconsin to the thin air of the Mile High City.

Since I've been in Vegas, multiple sources that are well respected around the league for their exemplary reputations have hinted that Rodgers getting traded to Denver isn’t a stretch and could be extremely likely. Not only that, but Rodgers’ good buddy and arguably the best wideout in the NFL, Davante Adams, could join him with the Broncos. 

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When it came to his former QB in Green Bay, Hackett couldn't help but absolutely gush.

“First and foremost, Aaron was absolutely unbelievable," Hackett said on Friday. "He’s been one of my biggest supporters and I love him. I’m thankful very much for him. Coaching a man like that, the one thing I learned is, you better have an answer for every question because he’s going to ask every single question about every single thing that you’re going to do. I think that was something that was very valuable for me. ”

As for Adams, he's been a model of consistency and playmaking the last four seasons and is expected to set the market with an extremely lucrative new contract. Paton already has his ducks in a row as the Broncos rolled over $11 million in unused salary-cap space which was the third-highest amount in the league. 

According to Spotrac, Denver is projected to have approximately $47.6M in cap space this offseason. This directly leaves the door wide open for Adams to get paid and come to the Broncos as an unrestricted free agent in 2022.

Last November, when Paton extended wideouts Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick to the tune of a combined $53M, I speculated that it could signal Jerry Jeudy as potential trade capital. While some rolled their eyes at the notion of trading the former first-round receiver, who didn’t score a single touchdown in 2021, I still maintain that he’ll be a sought-after commodity in trade propositions along with multiple premium draft picks, based on what I'm hearing.

The bottom line is, the buzz from the scouting community in Sin City suggests that the rest of the league is bracing itself for a potential blockbuster trade between the Broncos and Packers this offseason. 

During Hackett's introductory presser on Friday, Paton was point-blank asked whether the hire was made in hopes of luring Rodgers to Denver. The GM's reply was circumspect. 

"Absolutely not," Paton said. "Thanks for asking.”

That doesn't mean Paton and Hackett won't try to move mountains to land Rodgers, provided the Packers acquiesce to a trade. 

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