From the moment that the Green Bay Packers lost in the NFC Championship Game last season versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there were murmurs of what Aaron Rodgers’ future with the Packers looked like. There would be a drawn-out saga between Rodgers and Green Bay this offseason that led many to believe he’d be traded sometime before the regular season. However, after a long hiatus from the organization, Rodgers returned in time for training camp following a reworked contract with the Packers.

In his new contract with the Packers, Rodgers has the final year of his contract voided and he now has more control of where he plays after the 2021 season. Rodgers has wanted more control over where he plays to end his career, especially with Green Bay showing questionable treatment to their All-Pro quarterback. It was more than just the decision to trade up for Jordan Love in the 2020 NFL Draft, it was also the fact that they left him in the dark on personnel decisions.

There is a consensus belief that Rodgers is entering his final year in Green Bay and there is nothing the Packers can do to alter that. Green Bay did oblige by trading for Randall Cobb, who Rodgers requested to be back on the team in his potential going-out party. But is Cobb enough to salvage their relationship with Rodgers and convince him to return in 2022?

Why Aaron Rodgers Is Going To Leave The Packers Next Offseason

It has been quite the run for Rodgers in his first 16 seasons with the Packers. He won a Super Bowl with Green Bay back in the 2010 season, making people believe that he could surpass Brett Favre and Bart Starr as the best quarterback to put on a uniform in Green Bay. At this point, it’s safe to say that Rodgers will go down as the best quarterback in Packers’ history and is one of the most talented quarterbacks to ever grace the gridiron.

That being said, Green Bay has been unable to return to the Super Bowl since the 2010 season, leading to many disappointing moments over the years. The Packers are positioned to make another run at the Super Bowl in 2021, but the front office hasn’t put Rodgers in the best position to succeed. Let’s not get it twisted, Rodgers won the NFL’s MVP award last season despite the supporting cast around him, not because of the supporting cast. Outside of Davante Adams and Aaron Jones, Rodgers didn’t have a consistent group to work with in the offense.

When you’re the face of the franchise, you typically are kept in the loop during the offseason by the front office. We’ve seen plenty of quarterbacks around the NFL, most notably Tom Brady, have a huge say in what players their respective team targets. But for Rodgers, it appears that the Packers have refused to listen to his opinions, leading to a permanent disconnect between player and organization.

What Chance Is there For Him To Return?

Once again, most people will give it a zero-percent chance that we see Rodgers in a Packers’ uniform in 2022. It’s hard to argue that it isn’t closer to zero than it is 50 percent for him to make a return to Green Bay beyond this season. The Packers do give him a solid chance to add another Super Bowl ring to his collection as they do have a well-rounded roster, outside of still having a mediocre receiving corps aside from Adams.

Just hearing Rodgers speak and seeing his posts on social media makes me lean heavily toward him requesting a trade next offseason. Rodgers seems to be carrying himself as if he knows that he’ll be playing for a new team next season. Who would blame him? Rodgers has done everything he can to lead Green Bay to another title, only for the front office’s pride to get in the way.

Fans of the Packers would love to see No. 12 remain with the organization, but the presence of Love makes a move for Rodgers seem even more likely. On a scale of 1-100 percent, I’d personally place the chances of Rodgers returning to Green Bay in 2022 somewhere between 1-5 percent. His relationship with the franchise seems irreparable and some teams would value him more, leading to his departure.

Sorry Packers fans, unless something drastic happens, all signs point towards Rodgers packing his bags next offseason.