Who has the most leverage for Aaron Rodgers? Scott Pioli weighs in
Who has the most leverage for Aaron Rodgers? originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Chicago Bears fans are high-fiving about Aaron Rodgers' seemingly imminent, inevitable departure from the Green Bay Packers and NFC North.
Still, however, a deal has yet to be made between both teams for the future Hall of Fame quarterback. Reports have flown around, circling potential compensation, timeliness and other factors surrounding the coveted trade. Yet, nothing is set in stone.
Who has the upper hand in this trade?
"I think the person, or group of people, with the most leverage, right now are the Green Bay Packers," NFL analyst Scott Pioli said on Good Morning Football.
"And that happened during Aaron Rodgers' State of the Union address on The Pat McAfee Show. He shifted everything into the hands of the Packers because he told the world he wasn't going to be there and he didn't want to be there. The Jets have said publicly they want him. They're gonna take him. Every way you turn here it looks like he's going."
The Aaron Rodgers debacle has taken place for weeks.
He went on the Pat McAfee Show about a month ago to express his desire to play for the Jets and not the Packers. He cleared the air surrounding the rumors of the situation and admitted he was near retirement during the offseason.
Since then, rumors and reports have swirled about how the deal might work out, whether or not there will be a first-round draft pick included, etc. From the looks of it, a deal is still far away from completion.
One report indicated a deal could take place on draft night come April 27. That would be historic, dramatic, inconceivable.
When and how the deal gets done is almost a moot talking point. When it comes to power, the Packers have it all. They know their star quarterback is gone. But the Jets need one more than they do.
"To me, the player knows he's not going back, the team knows they're not going to have to take him back and there's no way the Jets could ever back out of this deal," Pioli said.
