Aaron Rodgers came to Green Bay as a first-round pick drafted as a successor to Brett Favre, which eventually came to fruition.
No such successor exists on Green Bay's roster in 2020. General manager Brian Gutekunst isn't opposed to changing that.
"Everything I've been taught, that's where you start," Gutekunst said, via USA Today. "You start with the quarterback. So you evaluate them every year, and I think it's always on the table. It's a good crop this year. It's a good group of quarterbacks. I think it's a little deeper than it has been in the past. It will be interesting."
Rodgers is 36 and is playing under a contract that rightfully pays him well. He's still playing to the level of compensation, meaning the Packers are in no hurry whatsoever to find his replacement. But the next few years could be the sweet spot to draft a successor, much like he was selected back in 2005.
Rodgers' contract carries a massive dead cap number over $30 million for the next two seasons, but it drops to $17 million in 2022 and just $2.8 million in 2023. A potential split is written into the deal, though it's unlikely either side would want that to happen. If retirement ends up being the course of action before 2024, though, the Packers will need a future starter to turn to.
This draft could provide them with just that. While Tua Tagovailoa, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert likely won't be available at the end of the first round, Jacob Eason and Jake Fromm could still be available. Jordan Love is polarizing enough to potentially be there in the second half of the first round, too, if Green Bay decided to move up. Simply, there's talent to be had if the Packers decide they want to start grooming their next franchise quarterback.
Will they go that route? There's a whole lot of time and work to be done until the draft. But the thought of Gutekunst at least giving quarterbacks an extended look is indeed intriguing.
