Seahawks To Contact Aaron Rodgers

Closely linked to Sam Darnold after trading Geno Smith, the Seahawks are obviously not certain to land him. The Vikings are not expected to bring Darnold back, pointing to the QB having interest in a newfound suitor, but Seattle will still need to pay up to land a player we ranked No. 1 on our 2025 free agent list.

Darnold could certainly be labeled the Seahawks’ top target, as buzz about a potential Russell Wilson reunion has not built. But a more talented quarterback will be available soon. While Aaron Rodgers is 41, he is a four-time MVP who played decently last season. The Seahawks are not expected to pass through this free agency period without talking to the 20-year veteran, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports.

[RELATED: Sam Darnold Likely To Choose Seahawks?]

Rodgers has been connected to the Giants and Vikings, but a Seahawks landing would give the all-time QB talent a better chance at competing — in all likelihood — in 2025. The Seahawks are coming off a 10-7 season, seeing Smith’s 15 interceptions prove an impediment in Mike Macdonald’s first season. Klint Kubiak is now aboard as OC. He has not stopped through Green Bay or New York, but the second-generation coach does run an offense that resembles Matt LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett‘s. Kubiak was on Hackett’s 2022 Broncos staff, though that might not be a ringing endorsement.

One connection could be more notable. Seahawks GM John Schneider was in Green Bay when the team drafted Rodgers in 2005. Schneider was also Packers director of football operations when they made the move to trade Brett Favre (after unretirement No. 1) in 2008. In his second year running the show (post-Pete Carroll), Schneider has now signed off on trading Smith and D.K. Metcalf. Seattle has plenty of work to do this offseason.

This connection aside, shifting from a 34-year-old quarterback to a 41-year-old passer who is not yet two years removed from Achilles surgery would be a fascinating plan for the Seahawks. Rodgers ranked 25th in QBR last season (four spots south of Smith) but did start 17 games after his Achilles rehab and finish with a 28-11 TD-INT ratio. Teams could certainly do worse, though much has changed about the baggage Rodgers brings since Scheneider’s time with the Packers.

Rodgers has not confirmed he is even playing in 2025, but all signs are pointing to it. The Jets are about to be tagged with $49MM in dead money, and offsets would make Rodgers’ 2025 landing comparable to where Wilson was in 2024. The Steelers had Wilson on the veteran minimum, as the Broncos were paying the rest. As the Jets prepare for the second-highest single-player dead money hit, they will be on the hook for the bulk of Rodgers’ 2025 money.

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