The Green Bay Packers appear to be ready to acknowledge Aaron Rodgers may not be their quarterback for the 2023 season.
The Packers worked hard to keep Rodgers, then the back-to-back MVP, when he appeared to be entertaining the idea of a trade last year.
What followed was a record-breaking contract but an underwhelming season as Green Bay missed the playoffs with an 8-9 record.
Rodgers, 39, has again delivered cryptic messaging on his future this year, leaving for a four-day "darkness retreat" to consider his options.
Regardless, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst would not commit to the team working to bring Rodgers back when he spoke to reporters on Tuesday.
Gutekunst's comments appeared to stand in contrast to the eagerness of previous years, as he said: "He's a great player, but until we have those conversations, I think all options are on the table right now.
"We really need to have those conversations. We want what's best for the Green Bay Packers, what's best for Aaron. So, we'll get to that once those conversations happen."
Despite last year's contract extension, Gutekunst has not been surprised by the way the issue of Rodgers' future has arisen again.
"I don't know if things shifted," he said. "I think with a player who's played as long as Aaron has and as we've gone the last few years, we realised for him it's been a year-to-year type of proposition.
"I think we've kind of known that moving forward, that last year when we did the contract it was going to be year to year. That's kind of where we're at. I don't think it really adjusted or changed too much.
"We've always kind of known it was going to be year to year with him.
"I will say our season last year certainly adjusted some things and our thinking a little bit. Obviously, it was a disappointing season. Not where we wanted to be.
"Whenever that happens, you're going to look at a number of things that you're going to change."
Gutekunst added it "would be helpful for our football team" if a decision was reached by Rodgers ahead of free agency in mid-March.
New York Jets acquire wide receiver Adams from Las Vegas Raiders
Davante Adams will be reunited with Aaron Rodgers.
The Las Vegas Raiders traded Adams to the New York Jets on Tuesday for a conditional third-round draft pick that can become a second-rounder depending upon his production from the remainder of the 2024 NFL season.
The trade, which was being finalised less than 24 hours after the Jets suffered a tough 23-20 home loss to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night, makes Adams and Rodgers team-mates again.
Adams and Rodgers played together for eight seasons with the Green Bay Packers from 2014-21, with Adams catching 615 passes from Rodgers for 7,529 yards and 68 touchdowns.
Among active players, no quarterback-receiver combo has more receptions or touchdowns.
A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Adams ranks second among all active players in touchdown catches (96), and fourth in both receptions (890) and yards (10,990).
The Raiders acquired Adams prior to the 2022 season for a first- and second-round draft pick, and then signed him to a five-year, $140million contract with $65.7million guaranteed.
In his first season in Las Vegas with his former college quarterback, Derek Carr, Adams had 100 catches for 1,516 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns to earn a third straight first-team All-Pro selection. The Raiders, however, finished 6-11 and Carr was benched late in the season.
Las Vegas went 8-9 in 2023, with Adams finishing with 103 receptions for 1,144 yards and eight TDs.
The Raiders are off to a sluggish start this season at 2-4 and Adams has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, while there had been speculation that the star receiver was seeking a trade.
He now joins a team that is also scuffling, as New York also dropped to 2-4 with its latest defeat with Rodgers throwing a costly interception in the final minutes.
If his hamstring is healthy enough, Adams could be on the field Sunday night, when the Jets visit the 4-2 Pittsburgh Steelers.
Buffalo Bills extend New York Jets' skid
Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another touchdown, and the Buffalo Bills intercepted Aaron Rodgers with under two minutes left to hold on for a 23-20 win over the turmoil-laden New York Jets on Monday.
Tyler Bass' 22-yard field goal with 3:43 remaining snapped a 20-20 tie and helped send New York (2-4) to its third straight loss in its first game since firing head coach Robert Saleh last week and replacing him with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich.
The Jets also stripped offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett of play-calling duties during their shake-up, with passing game coordinator Todd Downing taking over that role for Monday's game.
The switch allowed Rodgers to throw for a season-high 294 yards and two touchdowns, including a 52-yard Hail Mary heave to Allen Lazard to end the first half. However, the four-time NFL MVP's final pass of the night, a deep ball intended for Mike Williams, was picked off by Taron Johnson with 1:52 left to play before the Bills ran out the clock.
Allen had a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, then connected with Mack Hollins and Dawson Knox on touchdown passes in the second as the Bills built a 20-10 lead prior to Lazard's leaping grab in the end zone just before half-time.
The Jets tied the game at 20-20 on Greg Zuerlein's 22-yard field goal with 6:13 left in the third quarter, but the veteran kicker missed two other attempts later on that would have put New York ahead.
Allen finished with 215 yards on 19-of-25 passing as Buffalo (4-2) snapped a two-game losing streak and extended its lead atop the AFC East to 1 1/2 games. Rookie Ray Davis rushed for a career-high 97 yards in place of Bills' top running back James Cook, who was inactive with a toe injury.
Lazard racked up 114 yards on six catches in the loss, while the Jets also got 107 yards and a touchdown on eight catches from Garrett Wilson and 113 rushing yards from Breece Hall.
Cowboys owner Jones backing McCarthy despite recent home woes
Dallas Cowboys suffered their worst home defeat during Jerry Jones' time as owner and general manager, but he says he has no intention of changing his coach.
Mike McCarthy has started the season with a 3-3 record, with all three of their losses coming at the AT&T Stadium, including their 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
It was their worst defeat in 36 years, while the 38-point deficit was the Cowboys' largest at home since a 43-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Texas Stadium in 1988.
McCarthy is in the final year of his contract, but even with the poor start on home soil, Jones says he is going to stick with his coach.
"Oh, I haven't even considered that," Jones said of a potential change. "I'm not considering that. Just so you're clear, I'm not considering that."
When reminded of an in-season coaching change he made back in 2010, replacing Wade Phillips with Jason Garrett, Jones doubled down on his backing of McCarthy.
"That would be a hypothetical," he added. "In that matter, do you think I'm an idiot? Do you?
"OK. Well, I'm not going to be hypothetical with you about would I consider a coaching change in light of the timing we're sitting here with. I'm not. At all."
Prior to Sunday's game, the largest defeat suffered under Jones' ownership was 36-3 against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2001.
Including last season's play-off loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Cowboys have now trailed by 15 or more points at half-time in four consecutive home games.
"Well, we're disappointed that we're 3-3," Jones said. "The three-loss side of it, I don't necessarily totally blame on McCarthy.
"The players will tell you they had something to do with it, too. His other parts of the staff will tell you. And the owner sure will tell you he had something to do with it, so it's not all on him."
The Cowboys now have a bye week before they resume action against the San Francisco 49ers on October 27.
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