James Jones Saying Rodgers Will Return at Training Camp Shows A Finish Line for the Saga
James Jones is one of the more trusted members of Aaron Rodgers’ media mafia. The people that are in that group include A.J. Hawk, Mark Tauscher, Pat McAfee, Nolan Murphy to name a few. Jones spoke with Collin Cowherd yesterday. Cowherd is typically pretty tough on the Packers and Rodgers superficially. But Cowherd seemed to be more sympathetic than usual to Rodgers’ current plight. Jones believes that Rodgers will be back for training camp. If that’s true, it shows a road map and a deadline to where this is all going for the Packers and their star quarterback. Green Bay and Rodgers are on the clock for the next two months to fix whatever is broken. Here’s Jones with Cowherd.
"I've talked to Aaron. He told me it's not about the GM… He's willing to go in there and make this thing right."
— @89JonesNTAF pic.twitter.com/hpn6MhlsRe
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 8, 2021
What needs to be fixed? I think it’s a gesture of good faith that Green Bay will rework his deal so it’s impossible to trade him after next season. Rodgers doesn’t want to be a lame duck. That’s my prevailing takeaway from this talk with Jones. He references all the guys that left such as Julius Peppers, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb to name a few. It’s not that Rodgers wanted to keep all of those guys on the roster (Maybe a few) but rather, he has seen all of his buddies go through the exact same shit that he’s about to enter into. So instead, Rodgers is pulling the ripcord and saying ‘No, I’m not getting put in a lame-duck spot.’
If that theory of mine is correct, I believe Green Bay would provide him with two options. One, an extension that would basically give Rodgers the safety of the next three years or so then a decision can be made together at 40 years old. Or the second one, that he will play out this season, try to win a title, and Green Bay will trade him next season to a preferred destination. These two things seem like the only possible outcomes. He will not be traded. He will not let this thing fester like a disease. There will be a resolution. The question is what will it be?
Charlie.