Brett Veach discusses Aaron Rodgers trade rumors to Denver Broncos

Brett Veach admits it’s entertaining. For fans of the game, the drama of what took place shortly before the 2021 NFL Draft got underway—namely the sudden trade rumors involving the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player in Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers—is a lot of fun to follow, to ask the questions of what if.

In case you missed it, Rodgers reportedly made it known to the Packers that he wanted out after 16 seasons in Wisconsin. Reports emerged from nearly every well-known NFL reporter, from Chris Mortensen to Jay Glazer to Adam Schefter, stating that Rodgers had not only asked for a trade away but some rumors even said he could threaten to retire instead of playing for Green Bay ever again.

Given the stature of Rodgers as one of the game’s greatest players and his recent run of stellar production, it was enough to send the NFL news machine in overdrive. Outside fan bases were wondering if their favorite franchise could potentially be in the running for his services. As for Packers fans, there was wailing and gnashing of teeth.

For a hot minute, it looked as if a deal was likely, especially given reports from Mark Schlereth like this one, to either the San Francisco 49ers and then the Denver Broncos. According to Vegas oddsmakers, the Broncos and the Las Vegas Raiders remain the favorites to land Rodgers, if traded, although those same oddsmakers also say that Rodgers is unlikely to be traded.

Reporters asked Brett Veach about the Aaron Rodgers trade rumors.

Given the ties of Rodgers to the AFC West, at least in terms of rampant rumors on Thursday, it was inevitable that K.C. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach was going to be asked about the report. In his post-draft press conference on Thursday night, Veach discussed the draft’s first round, the Orlando Brown trade, and ultimately was asked about Aaron Rodgers.

"“We’re hearing all this stuff in real time, just like you guys are. Certainly we’re not going to have any inside information when the trade pertains to a rival team like Denver. You hear about it and talk about it, but it seemed like a lot on the day of the draft. That’s a lot of juggling parts there for picks and players and contracts and how they fit into the cap on the day of.”"

After discussing the surprise of a team like the Broncos trying to wrangle in all the disparate parts for such a major acquisition, Veach did admit that these sorts of rumors are entertaining for the league’s fan base.

"“At the end of the day, it’s not going to affect what we do. We have a game plan and obviously we’re excited by our team and where we are, our talent and how we can improve. So listen to it and pay attention but more so as a sports fan. It’s good social media reads and stuff like that. They’re in our division, so you pay a little more attention not that, but again we’re focused on what we can control.”"

At this point, every team has made their first-round selections. That’s not to say that a deal is out for the Broncos or the Raiders, but if Denver was going to, say, ship the No. 9 overall selection as part of trade package for Rodgers, then it would have made sense for the Packers to be on the clock there. As of now, Patrick Surtain Jr. was the choice and the Packers followed up at the end of the first round with another cornerback in Eric Stokes. Would the Packers really desire to double down on a corner investment in the first round in such a deal? It’s hard to believe that’s true.

It’s still possible that Rodgers is dealt to another team if a package is centered on 2022 draft picks. Next year’s draft should be a loaded class, and the offseason has a lot of runway left. There’s time for a relationship to either further fracture or repair. Either way, we agree with Veach. It’s a fun what-if exercise for fans to follow.