The Case for the Packers to Trade Aaron Rodgers if They Don't Win the Super Bowl in 2020

Aaron Rodgers' tenure in Green Bay has been nothing short of historic. Since becoming the full-time starter in 2008, the 36-year-old has won a Super Bowl, two MVPs, set a plethora of records, and been named to eight Pro Bowls.

Some Packers fans might even go as far as to say that Rodgers' reign has already surpassed the career that Brett Favre enjoyed in Wisconsin.

However, as superhuman as Rodgers has been over the last 12 seasons, it's really not outlandish to say that Green Bay should consider trading him if the team fails to win the Super Bowl in 2020.

The Packers last hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in 2010. The franchise has obviously enjoyed great success since then by making the playoffs in seven of the nine subsequent seasons, but they've failed to reach the Super Bowl since capturing that championship. If Rodgers and Co. come up short again in 2020, it would just make sense to consider a fresh start with a young head coach in Matt LaFleur, is going to eventually want to mold his own QB, rather than take orders from a brash and aging one. From a leadership standpoint, it's just how things work.

Don't forget that Green Bay didn't hesitate to trade Brett Favre to the New York Jets in 2008 after he spurned retirement. The Packers ultimately turned a conditional fourth-round draft pick into Clay Matthews. Of course, the Pack had a successor to Favre lined up, so they would obviously need to sort out that situation before entering trade discussions.

Thinking about what the team could receive for Rodgers, who is still as valuable as any player in the NFL, should have GM Brian Gutekunst considering his options. If managed properly, he could expedite a "rebuild" in one swift trade, while also jettisoning a deal that is sure to be a late-career albatross. It's the kind of money you pay a QB because of memory and necessity, but not necessarily future performance, of course.

Rodgers has often criticized the way Green Bay goes about its business, particularly how the organization has failed to equip him with proper talent on offense over the years. In terms of throwing the pigskin, No. 12 is still otherworldly, but he's proven to be fragile as he's aged.

Finally, we get to Rodgers' contract, which pays him an annual average value of $33.5 million. In 2021, his deal carries a gargantuan $36.35 million cap hit. Avoiding that monstrous sum is just good business, especially for a team (presumably) fresh off failing to win the Super Bowl. The Cal product also has an opt-out clause after the 2021 season.

We're not saying that it's a done deal, but the Packers dealing Rodgers following another championship-less campaign makes more sense than most would think.