With Derek Carr's retirement, the idea of Aaron Rodgers joining the Saints suddenly seems much more plausible. RG3 shared this thought on X, suggesting that the Saints should reach out to Rodgers now that Carr is out of the picture.
With Derek Carr retiring from the NFL, the New Orleans Saints need to call Aaron Rodgers.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) May 10, 2025
While some people disagreed, there’s a reasonable argument to be made here. It’s clear that Rodgers prefers not to play in the AFC. Although he might consider a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, it doesn’t seem like a move he would be thrilled about. After all, why would he be? The road to the Super Bowl is significantly tougher in the AFC compared to the NFC.
If Aaron were to join the Steelers, he would have to face formidable opponents like Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, among others, just to have a shot at the championship.
In contrast, the playoff journey in the NFC, with players like Baker Mayfield, Dak Prescott, and Matthew Stafford, likely appears much less daunting to him.
The Packers might not have left him with much of a choice when he was traded to the Jets. Although it was reported that they were flexible with his trade request, it's probable that the team would have asked for significantly more in return if he had remained in the same conference.
Derek Carr's retirement has made the possibility of signing Rodgers much more feasible for the Saints. Without the savings from the salary cap, their chances were quite slim.
Derek Carr’s decision to retire gives the #Saints $30 million in cash and cap relief. In exchange, he gets to keep his $10 million roster bonus from March and the team will not seek reimbursement of his signing bonus. https://t.co/G2D5kt7lPW
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 10, 2025
Interestingly, Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough will both celebrate their birthdays on September 28th, turning 25 and 26 respectively. They still have plenty of time ahead of them, and I believe that learning under a future Hall-of-Famer for a year will only benefit their growth.
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