Clayton: Seahawks gave Russell Wilson the support that Packers won’t give Aaron Rodgers
May 6, 2021, 2:12 PM
Green Bay's support of Aaron Rodgers isn't near what Seattle did for Russell Wilson. (Getty)
(Getty)
It’s still amazing that people bring up the offseason story of Russell Wilson and the Seahawks when they discuss what’s going on with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. The situations are completely different.
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Wilson spoke out after the Super Bowl that he wanted a voice in personnel decisions and didn’t want to be hit and sacked as much as he has been over the past few years. He never asked to be traded. As of now, he seems to be happy with the way things have gone this offseason.
The Seahawks gave him an offensive coordinator he seems to approve of in Shane Waldron. They upgraded the offensive line with a trade for guard Gabe Jackson. They gave him a rising tight end in Gerald Everett. They drafted D’Wayne Eskridge, a fast receiver, in the second round. They re-signed Chris Carson and gave a big contract extension to Tyler Lockett.
Rodgers wishes he had as much support from the Packers. That didn’t happen.
Although some of this predates the current administration, 10 of the Packers’ first picks in the last 11 NFL Drafts were defensive players. The only offensive player taken in the first round by Green Bay in that time was quarterback Jordan Love, who the Packers traded up to pick and who they drafted as the eventual replacement for Rodgers.
Last year, not only did not they not tip off before the draft that they were thinking of drafting a quarterback, but they didn’t get Rodgers any receivers, either. And this year they didn’t get a receiver until the third round.
So Rodgers wants out. You have to believe he will never show up at Lambeau Field in 2021 for the Packers. The situation is similar to what happened to Carson Palmer with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Palmer was fed up with the Bengals not getting enough talent, and he played in just two playoff games in his first seven years. Cincinnati went 4-12 in 2010 and Palmer was sick of being a Bengal. He said he would never show up in Paul Brown Stadium, asked for a trade, and the Bengals rejected. He then told them he was going to retire. Palmer didn’t show up, but when the Oakland Raiders lost their starting quarterback that October, the Bengals traded Palmer and got a No. 1 pick in 2012 and a No. 2 in 2013.
Something that should make the Packers think Rodgers will hold out is that Rodgers has the same agent Palmer had: David Dunn.
What’s interesting for the Seahawks is the Packers will drop below them in the Super Bowl race in the NFC after back-to-back 13-win seasons. Who knows if Love will be ready to replace Rodgers, and Green Bay will take a big cap hit if they trade Rodgers. For receivers, Rodgers had a great one in Davante Adams, but the most any other Packers receiver had for catches was 33. Not good enough.
I predict Rodgers will get his trade but it won’t happen until October. The Denver Broncos could be the team that acquires him.
Whatever ends up happening, the situation isn’t anywhere close to the Wilson story.
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