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Insider Reveals If Raiders Were Ever Interested in Signing Aaron Rodgers

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Austin C. Boyd | Last updated Mar 9, 2025 12:31 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders quarterback rumors finally came to an end on Friday when it was revealed the team was trading for Geno Smith. While they could still draft a quarterback, it's unlikely they add another notable veteran to the roster.

The trade came not long after star defensive end Maxx Crosby threw his support around the idea of the Raiders signing Aaron Rodgers. However, that was never going to happen, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

"When tracking down the details of the Raiders’ latest contract with Maxx Crosby on Thursday, I had a question for our source before ending the phone call," Florio wrote in a Saturday column. "Only a day or two before signing the new contract, Crosby said he’d like Rodgers to join the Raiders. So why aren’t the Raiders and Rodgers talking?

"The source made it clear that the Raiders simply weren’t interested in Rodgers. The source then said, 'I think Pete [Carroll] wants Geno Smith.'"

The source ended up being spot-on as Smith is exactly who the Raiders ended up trading for. There's no doubt Rodgers would've been an upgrade over the Aidan O'Connell-Gardner Minshew duo from last season, but he comes with a lot of baggage.

Plus, he's 41 and coming off a down season. It's easy to understand why the Raiders wouldn't want to get involved in the Rodgers business. At this point in his career, Smith is just as good and seven years younger. He'll cost more money but the Raiders might have their quarterback position set for the next few years.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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