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00:00So, when all seasons passed here on the early line or a show that it used to be called,
00:05we would often go to the mock odds room to try to find some of those conversation points
00:11of any big updates.
00:12If a player had requested a trade, a big free agent that was looming in the off season,
00:18we don't really need the mock odds makers anymore because the FanDuel Sportsbook up
00:23in the Great White North, where the regulations a little bit more lax from our northern neighbors,
00:29can post some of those markets and thus we can use them here to generate conversation
00:34and any of our Canadian listeners can get down on things that we have to say.
00:38For instance, DRS, as we learned last week, made official by the New York Jets with official
00:45releases from the organization itself.
00:48They are moving on from Aaron Rodgers.
00:50Of course, the natural follow-up questions, what does New York look to do?
00:54Seventh overall pick, not really with the air apparent at the QB spot on the roster.
00:59The Jets, one of six, seven teams this offseason that have a big quarterback question to answer.
01:04But the other component of the conversation is, of course, the individual, Aaron Rodgers,
01:1041 years old, 20 years of service in the National Football League.
01:15Does he head to the darkness once again to figure out his future in football?
01:20Does he retire?
01:21Does he come back?
01:22If he comes back, where would he want to play?
01:25What are the available situations that Aaron Rodgers could end up in?
01:30Well, now we go to the Canadian, VanDuel Sportsbook.
01:34The Pittsburgh Steelers, the slight, slight favorites, the shortest number for Aaron Rodgers'
01:39next team at plus 150, but only 10 cents behind that.
01:43The Raiders at plus 160.
01:45To complete the Brett Favre career track and end up in Minnesota, it would be plus 850.
01:52The Titans, a nine to one number.
01:54The Colts round out the top five at 14 to one.
01:58Donnie, when you look at those top two prices, Pittsburgh and Las Vegas, do you find it realistic
02:03at all that Aaron Rodgers could either be a Steeler or a Raider in 2025?
02:09It's realistic, but to be honest, he doesn't make sense for any football team.
02:13What are your goals coming into 2025 where you would need Aaron Rodgers?
02:18Now let me just get to the Minnesota Vikings quickly at plus 850.
02:21If this is a case that for some reason your rookie quarterback you don't think is going
02:25to be ready to play in September where at least you need a veteran guy to run your offense,
02:30maybe I buy that, but I still don't.
02:32But let's understand what we're looking at, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and why they're a
02:35favorite at plus 150.
02:37Don't they already have this scenario with Russell Wilson, an aging veteran that's not
02:41nearly as good as what he once was, but can maybe get you to 500?
02:45They obviously hate Justin Fields, so you don't think he's going to be back there.
02:48So why would Aaron Rodgers, who can't get out of the way of anything, be better than
02:52even what you're getting right now out of your starting quarterback with Russell Wilson?
02:56Let's get to number two, which I think is ridiculous at a plus 160 price, and this is
03:00going to show the disconnect.
03:01And here's where I talk about the New York Jets and what we had with Aaron Rodgers, which
03:05was absolutely nothing.
03:07And a new coach and a regime came in and said, Aaron, fly in here.
03:09We want to talk to you.
03:10We don't want you back.
03:11Please.
03:12I think I can be better.
03:13Aaron Rodgers is saying, I think it can be better over this next year.
03:16No, we don't even want this.
03:18We just want to restart.
03:19We had two years of it.
03:20It was horrible.
03:21Let's move on.
03:22So then the Raiders, who are looking to jumpstart their franchise in a division that's going
03:26to be hell on wheels for like the next five to six years with the coaching and quarterback
03:30combinations, he's going to go there.
03:33And maybe instead of winning four games, you win six games, which means now you can't actually
03:38get the quarterback that you desire to draft when you're supposed to be bad.
03:42He makes absolutely like the Raiders at plus 160.
03:45They should be plus 60,000 to get him at this point, because there's no point in him
03:50going there.
03:51Are you going to compete for a division?
03:52Nope.
03:53You're going to compete for the playoffs?
03:54No, you're not.
03:55You're going to win a Super Bowl?
03:56Nope.
03:57Are you going to get your quarterback next year?
03:58Nope.
03:59Because Aaron Rodgers is there.
04:00That's a terrible one.
04:01So for me to answer this question, he doesn't belong anywhere for a franchise that needs
04:06to be sane about what they need in the future.
04:09How about that?
04:10Completely agree, DRS.
04:12I'm not so sure we are going to see Aaron Rodgers in 2025.
04:16I still think retirement is a very, very credible choice.
04:21Now, there have been some reports that Rodgers even flying to New Jersey to meet with the
04:26Jets as an organization does indicate that he still thinks he has some football life
04:31left.
04:32It's a long offseason, and we know Aaron Rodgers likes to take his time.
04:37However, it's also the consideration, DRS, that his ego will not allow him to go out
04:43not on his own terms.
04:45The Jets made this decision very clearly for him.
04:48You're not our quarterback.
04:49We're not keeping you on the roster, despite what we owe you and you being under contract.
04:55So maybe Aaron Rodgers wants to make his pick, go somewhere else, and fade off into the sunset.
05:02But is that what Aaron Rodgers is going to do?
05:05So Donnie, to me, it's really a three-part question.
05:08Number one, will he retire?
05:09I still think it's a 50-50 shot.
05:12Number two, what destination makes the most sense for Aaron Rodgers from his perspective?
05:17And that's even harder for me, DRS, than number three, what NFL team would want Aaron Rodgers.
05:24Because any of those places listed right there, is Aaron Rodgers the clear-cut number one
05:29walking in?
05:30Maybe with the Steelers, because they don't have another quarterback on the roster right
05:33now.
05:34Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, both free agents.
05:37Similar story in Las Vegas, kind of, but Aidan O'Connell is there.
05:41Is Aaron Rodgers at this stage of his career?
05:44A 41-year-old quarterback that is still kind of fresh off a ruptured Achilles and looking
05:50like a 41-year-old quarterback, the clear-cut starter in face of the franchise anywhere
05:56he goes around the NFL?
05:59I'm not so sure.
06:00Among those other teams listed on the board, Minnesota, that's J.J. McCarthy's team.
06:05That's been pretty clear.
06:06Tennessee, perhaps, I guess.
06:09Indianapolis, still gonna give Anthony Richardson some run, even if a veteran like Aaron Rodgers
06:16is there.
06:17So, Donnie, I'm not so sure my number two, is Aaron Rodgers the clear-cut starter wherever
06:23he goes?
06:24Is a definitive yes?
06:25No, exactly.
06:27And also, understand this, maybe the best point for him would be, let me just sit out
06:31September and October, and if a really good football team loses their starting quarterback
06:35and only has, let's just say, a seventh-round rookie quarterback, you can parachute in.
06:39I'm not saying that quarterback might be done for the season.
06:41Let's just say, like, a four or five games, hey, look, he's been around the block.
06:44He can learn the offense.
06:45He can steady the waters here until our quarterback comes back.
06:48That's it.
06:49But if you're looking for him to come in and be a bridge quarterback, what do you need
06:52a bridge quarterback when you're probably looking for your quarterback anyway?
06:55And if he can win one or two more games, what's the point in that?
06:58So again, just getting back to the original synopsis, he doesn't make sense for anybody
07:02in the NFL, for me.
07:04I completely agree, DRS.
07:06That's really where I stand right now.
07:07I don't think the market is overly robust for Aaron Rodgers now, even as it was back,
07:12doesn't seem all that long ago, but in spring of 2023.
07:16Some other big names around the NFL in their next home, next.
07:20Live right here on the Early Line on Sports Grid, ending out our second hour.
07:25Again, courtesy of the Canadian FanDuel Sportsbook, we have some next team odds that really generates
07:29the conversation and give some ideas of those teams that might be front runners to acquire
07:35some big name stores around the NFL this off season.
07:38We talked Aaron Rodgers, now to some guys who would have to be dealt.
07:42That would be Cooper Cup and Miles Garrett.
07:45Miles Garrett was the one to request his trade from Cleveland, wants to be a winner in the
07:50Browns or not necessarily that at this current juncture.
07:54Cooper Cup, not too happy with the Rams, basically forcing him out the door.
07:59We'll start with Cup, who could use the veteran wide receiver now north of 30 years old.
08:05The Broncos, the shortest price of plus 380.
08:09You see everybody else there, four teams at five to one or better.
08:13Miles Garrett, the favorite to land his services, the Bills and the Commanders just separated
08:18by 20 cents.
08:19Donnie, pick whatever guy you want and go with whatever direction.
08:23Cup, Miles Garrett, where do you think they land next year?
08:26Yeah, take a look at Cooper Cup.
08:28Now we don't know what version of Cooper Cup we're actually getting because two to three
08:32years ago, he was the best slot wide receiver by a wide margin of football.
08:36Now relegated to, we don't even throw you the football on Sundays.
08:39I don't know if that's Matthew Stafford hated him, Sean McVay hated him, upper management
08:43saying don't throw him.
08:44I don't know what it was, but it was one of the more stunning falls that we've seen.
08:47And maybe it was just due to injury, but obviously the trade market will open up and a lot of
08:51people need quality wide receivers, specifically slot guys.
08:55If you look at the Steelers at a plus four 50 price, absolutely not.
08:57They don't even want to throw the football.
08:59They basically will tell you as much.
09:00So I don't think the Steelers makes that much sense here.
09:02The Commanders could use a good slot guy, Terry McLaurin on the outside.
09:06You know, they have a solid tight end and Zachary's just looking for that dominant slot
09:09guy.
09:10If he can return to form, that makes sense.
09:11The Cowboys looking for a leader as well in the slot, you have an outside wide receiver
09:15and CD lamb who does take up a lot of slot wide receiver touches during the game.
09:19But if Cooper Cup was there, maybe that's more touches even on the outside for CD lamb.
09:23If you are looking at miles Garrett at this point, you look number one, it's the Buffalo
09:27Bills listed at a plus three 80 price.
09:30And I said this immediately.
09:31We started talking about this during Super Bowl week.
09:33Hey, miles Garrett saying he wants to trade.
09:35Where should he go?
09:36You just watch the Super Bowl play out.
09:38How do you beat Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl of the highest
09:43levels?
09:44You saw Tampa Bay do it.
09:45You saw the Philadelphia Eagles do it.
09:46You saw a man pass rush, collapse that pocket repeatedly.
09:50Miles Garrett to the Buffalo Bills makes way too much sense.
09:53And if you're in that prime spot now, which you saw last year with the Buffalo Bills clear
09:57out some of that salary cap casualties in the secondary, clear out Stefan digs his price,
10:02go a little bit cheaper at the wide receiver position.
10:04You should have money to spend and you should have draft capital to spend it.
10:08Cleveland's not going anywhere.
10:09He wants out the perfect fit for miles Garrett is with the Buffalo Bills.
10:14I completely agree DRS.
10:16It would seem to be at the behest of both sides.
10:19Miles Garrett wants to play with a contender.
10:21Buffalo is exactly that.
10:22It would also make the bills even more so of a contender around the AFC.
10:28Often we see market movement for big name splashes and free agent acquisitions in blockbuster
10:33deals, but really outside of a quarterback, is it more than like a dollar 50 cents miles
10:39Garrett going to Buffalo that would move their number drastically in my estimation by more
10:44than a dollar to win a Super Bowl or the AFC championship.
10:47When those odds come out, that would be something for Brandon being to pull off in Western New
10:53York this offseason.
10:55Also look at every team on miles Garrett's board outside of the Las Vegas Raiders.
10:59Those are teams that we consider conference championship or Super Bowl contenders right
11:04now in the addition of Garrett would even further that conversation, but it's going
11:10to cost you to get miles Garrett.
11:12I don't know exactly what it's going to cost you to get Cooper Cup at this stage of his
11:16career.
11:17Donnie this June.
11:18He turns 32 years old.
11:20It's a little bit tough right to see this drastic drop off, but Cooper Cup in 2021 was
11:25the best receiver in the National Football League.
11:27The Triple Crown winner led the NFL in receptions receiving yards and receiving touchdowns was
11:32the offensive player of the year in the NFL.
11:35The last three years has really been defined by injury.
11:38He's only played in 33 total games the last three years and was basically a ghost throughout
11:45that playoff run for the LA Rams.
11:48Does he make a difference for any of those teams perhaps right, but he's not your number
11:52one now.
11:53Maybe he's not even your number two.
11:55So what do you give it up to get Cooper Cup back?
11:57I think the Patriots are an intriguing team at five to one.
12:01They've got some capital burn this offseason.
12:04They've got some assets to trade and of course to provide that reliable guidance for a rookie
12:09quarterback now into his second year in Drake May could make some sense for to England.
12:14They need to build out that roster in a big way.
12:17No they do and like we talked about like hey, they should be signing Tee Higgins yesterday.
12:20So the minute free agency opens up and then if you get a quality slot wide receiver that
12:25can always help your quarterback out because you're right about one thing here.
12:28They have a lot of money to spend and a bad football team to spend it on.
12:31So any upgrades will be massive upgrades, particularly the wide receiver position.
12:35Maybe Cooper does make some sense in the way our three are third and final next.