3 pros and cons to Seahawks possibly adding Aaron Rodgers
By Lee Vowell
Con 2: The young Seahawks need a different leader than Aaron Rodgers
With another great draft class in 2023, the Seahawks could be looking at sustained success for many years to come. The missing piece could be at quarterback, but maybe Geno Smith returns and is even better in his second full season as the starter in Seattle or possibly Seattle takes a quarterback high in the 2023 draft and that quarterback becomes the new face of the franchise after a few years of success. But young teams need great leaders and I am not sure Rodgers would be that guy.
One reason it makes sense to bring Geno Smith back, even though his paycheck will increase quite a bit, is that Smith is well-respected in the locker room and doesn’t see himself as above the team. One can assume Russell Wilson felt he was better than the team in his last couple of seasons with Seattle and probably felt that way in his first year in Denver. Most players don’t respect that.
The same can probably be said about Rodgers too. Is he a great player? Absolutely. He is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But Rodgers also tends to publicly call out his teammates for their errors. It is possible to imagine a world where DK Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers have a disagreement that disrupts the locker room for quite some time. For a young team, seeing a rift between two of its top players, or a rift between Rodgers and the coaching staff, could stunt the trajectory of the team.
So what would the Seahawks need to give up to get Rodgers? Who knows? One can safely assume the packet would include a first-round choice. Seattle has two of those this year, pick 5 overall and pick 20 overall. Giving the Packers pick 20 and maybe one of the second-rounders might be OK but if Green Bay wants pick 5 overall then no way the trade should happen. Seattle should be building the team for a great future. Rodgers might improve the team for two years, but adding him might hurt the team in four years and beyond.