Not clickbait: QB Aaron Rodgers to the Cardinals?

**Is this real?**

What were you doing in 2005? Gas was $1.82 a gallon. A new car averaged $27,000. Movie tickets were $7.00. Milk was just over $3 a gallon.

**What’s next?**

There is little doubt that all the Cardinals’ offense needs is a high-level quarterback. Rodgers would make this roster better. In just one season in Pittsburgh, he led them to the playoffs. Look at Arizona’s QB room: Two journeyman players who have been on six different clubs each, an undrafted second-year guy who began with the team on the practice squad, and a rookie. Take a quick glance at this year’s offensive roster: The best running back in college football plus a stacked running back room, the best tight end in the league, a receiver group of Michael Wilson, Marv Harrison, Bourne, and the rookie Reggie Virgil, and a revamped offensive line. Think what would happen if the team had its own star at the QB position. Is the rumor getting some traction? Is there any meat on that bone? The area is a lot nicer to play home games than the brutal cold of Pittsburgh. This is a guy who is going to do whatever he decides to do. It’s his personality. There are connections to Rodgers already in place with Arizona. He played for Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, the brother of Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur. Nathaniel Hackett is the new OC with the Cardinals, whom Rodgers knows very well and has played underneath his tutelage and direction. They have a personal bond going back to their time in Green Bay from 2019 through the 2021 seasons, and also with the New York Jets. John Breech of *CBS Sports* threw out this recently:

*“At this point, [the Cardinals] QB situation is still up in the air. Going into April, Jacoby Brissett appeared to have the inside track, but he’s skipping the team’s voluntary workouts because he wants to be paid like a starter. Instead of giving Brissett more money, the Cardinals could simply call Rodgers and offer that money to him.”* There is plenty of young talent that could just be a quarterback away from taking off. Mike Florio of *Pro Football Focus* has his own take: *“The Cardinals have always been a possibility, given that they don’t have a clear first-string quarterback on the roster. And it would make sense for the Cardinals to be interested in Rodgers. Nathaniel Hackett, his former offensive coordinator with the Packers and the Jets, has that same role in Arizona now. And Mike LaFleur, brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur (with whom Rodgers won a pair of NFL MVP awards), is the Cardinals’ head coach.”* Hackett is a huge drawing card in order to snag Rodgers. Being older and settling down in a warm climate should also have its allure. Should that be the case, he needs to sign with Arizona by July 22, or the Steelers will hold his rights for the 2026 season. *Editor’s note: Rodgers to the Cardinals discussion begins at the 2:00 mark* Keep in mind, Rodgers hasn’t been seen at the Cardinals facility, gone through a workout, or been evaluated by team doctors. This is currently a “what if” going on because even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while. And it could very well be that Arizona’s coaching staff would much rather get Brissett in and let him take this team instead. Could Rodgers coming to the Cardinals happen? Sure. As stated earlier, there’s no indication that the franchise is seriously interested in Rodgers. Would it make sense at one level? Absolutely. At another level, it would make no sense.