The 2022 NFL season is far from over. We’re at Week 15 with four more regular season games to go and the usually exciting NFL postseason ahead of us.
Unfortunately for some teams and players, certain things already appear determined based on the flow of the season and it’s clear that things will need to change in order for them to find success going forward.
Aaron Rodgers To The Jets
Aaron Rodgers isn’t for everyone, he’s a conspiracy theory nut, a blame deflector and a poor leader who has been outspoken against his own teammates this season. In fact the thought he’ll be subjected to the New York media is an amusing one if indeed the Jets make the move to upgrade at QB with a trade for the Packers quarterback .
But Rodgers is also very talented thrower, and while he’s getting up there at age (39), it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s done. Tom Brady, who led the NFL in TDs at age 44 last season, has proven that QBs can have success even in their early 40s.
This season hasn’t been pretty for Rodgers, who has already thrown more than double the amount of INTs (10) than he did last year (4) when he won MVP for Green Bay. Under Rodgers, the Packers have gone 6-8 and are nearly eliminated from postseason contention. The reasons for their poor season are many, but Rodgers is at the center of it. The wishy-washy manner in which he acted each of the past several offseasons has grown tired by some of his teammates, including star WR Davante Adams, who believed strongly enough that Rodgers won’t stay long in Green Bay that he decided to ask for a trade to join his former college teammate Derek Carr in Vegas. The Packers even offered Adams more money, but he still moved on.
Under head coach Robert Saleh, the Jets have finally turned the corner and are a good team after years of constant failure. At one point this season, the Jets were 7-4 and were looking at a playoff spot, which is still possible. However, despite a top 5 defense, a tough running game and all-world rookie CB Sauce Gardner, their quarterback play has been disastrous. Most of the starts under center for the NYJ this season came from Zach Wilson, a second-year former 2nd overall pick in the Draft who is more known for his off-the-field adventures than his on-the-field good play.
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The Jets eventually benched Zach Wilson and turned to Mike White, a 27-year old career backup that has sparked the offense on his first start after replacing Wilson but has lost back to back games since. White is a high-caliber backup that can play a lot better than Wilson but he isn’t the long-term answer at the position. The Jets have a group of very talented pass-catchers, a strong defense, smart head coach and a powerful running game. A move this offseason to trade for Aaron Rodgers could push them over the top next year assuming Rodgers can improve on his declining play of the 2022 season.
Tom Brady To The Raiders
Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. His Michael Jordan status as the best player in the sport will never change simply because his accomplishments would almost certainly not be repeated by anyone.
However, in the 2022 season, at age 45, Tom Brady is stuck on a bad Buccaneers team and he himself is bad in it. The Bucs won the Super Bowl under Brady in 2020 and won a playoff game in 2021, but this season, despite currently leading their horrible division by default with a record of 6-8, the writing is on the wall that Tom Brady will not be back with Tampa next season.
Brady has only thrown 7 INTs all season but his 20 TDs leave much to be desired on a team that changed head coaches this offseason and the change from Bruce Arians to Todd Bowles has set them back badly. The team has no fire, no grit and no production on either side of the ball.
Meanwhile, in Vegas, the Raiders have a talented offensive roster with stars such as WR Davante Adams, TE Darren Waller, RB Josh Jacobs and WR Hunter Renfrow. On paper the fit can work for Brady, but not just because of those talented weapons, but also because the current head coach of the Raiders is one of Brady’s best friends and long-time coach Josh McDaniels.
While the Raiders have fallen well short of expectations and have already been eliminated from making the playoffs, McDaniels’ job is safe. Although not necessarily for good reasons.
McDaniels staying in Vegas opens the door for Tom Brady to enter. While Derek Carr is under contract with the Raiders next season, they have an out on his contract this offseason and could potentially trade him away and bring in the GOAT to take over the offense and take the team to the next level which Carr, in nearly a decade, hasn’t been able to do. One way or another, if Brady doesn’t retire for good, he’ll be looking for a new team with the 49ers being another interesting option.
Denver Firing Coach Nathaniel Hackett
The Broncos hired Nathaniel Hackett from Green Bay in order to lead a new era of Denver football after going 7-10 with Vic Fangio in 2021. Hackett received a 4-year contract to head the Broncos until at least 2026 but that contract was given to Hackett under a previous ownership group (The Bowlen family). The Broncos were since sold to the Walton-Penner Family, who own Walmart, which means they have the deepest pockets out of any NFL ownership. That’s important to remember because if they wanted to eat Hackett’s contract and hire a new coach of their own choosing, it won’t be a problem for them.
Coaches don’t usually get fired after only one season but the fact this is a no-brainer move to anyone that follows the NFL, shows you exactly how poorly the 2022 season has gone for the Broncos.
Denver went big this offseason with the massive trade of former Seahawks franchise quarterback Russell Wilson. The Broncos were already armed with an elite defense and Wilson was considered the last piece of the puzzle to put the Broncos over the top as a “perfect” team. The result however? was far from perfect. A completely washed Wilson showed up in Denver and the Broncos offense has never taken off. Under Wilson, the Broncos are 4-10 this season and have the league’s worst scoring offense. He’s been the complete opposite of what everyone expected entering this season and so are the Broncos.
So with that said about Russ, why not move on from him instead of Hackett? well, simply put, they can’t. Or at least it would be completely irresponsible for them to. Wilson’s contract is something that Denver can’t get out of as easily as they can Hackett’s and the investment of two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks, 3 players and a massive $245 million contract is not something you can get away from so quickly.
It makes far more sense to move on from Hackett and hire a new coach that hopefully could make Russell play better, at least to some degree, because Hackett’s offense is clearly subpar and not working. And that is exactly what Denver is expected to do this offseason.
