The Green Bay Packers quickly shut down any ideas the Denver Broncos were entertaining regarding a draft-day trade for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
According to Mike Silver of NFL Network, new Broncos general manager George Paton – sensing an opportunity to acquire the league MVP – considered trading down from No. 9 in the first round on Thursday night to acquire the 2022 draft capital necessary for putting together a trade package for Rodgers, but the Packers wouldn’t engage with the Broncos on any trade talks.
“When a third party made it clear to him that his Green Bay counterpart, Brian Gutekunst, had no desire to entertain such a conversation, Paton quickly abandoned the speculative scenario and pivoted back into draft mode,” Silver wrote.
The Broncos ended up staying put at No. 9 and taking Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II.
Gutekunst has held firm on his stance that the Packers will not deal Rodgers.
“We’re not going to trade Aaron Rodgers,” Gutekunst said after taking cornerback Eric Stokes with his first-round pick on Thursday night.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst: ‘We’re not going to trade Aaron Rodgers’
The Broncos, with a need at quarterback and enough assets to make a compelling offer, were widely viewed as the front-runner to deal for Rodgers during a frantic three-hour period leading up to the draft.
The 49ers also reached out to the Packers about a potential deal but were denied immediately.
The Packers are holding out hope that they can rectify the situation with Rodgers, who was the NFL MVP in 2020. Gutekunst said he believes Rodgers will play again in Green Bay.
