Same Face, New Place: Likely Destinations for Players on the Move

By: Matt Quinn

There’s been alot of talk about trade destinations or free agency landing spots in the NFL. It’s the offseason after all and with all the things that come with that comes also speculation. Let’s face it, there’s not much to do at this point other than speculate. So for today I’d like to dive into where some of these players will most likely end up at the end of the day.

Aaron Rodgers- Titans or Retirement

I know it’s the popular thing lately to say that Aaron is going to end up in Pittsburgh. Though it may be popular, it couldn’t be further from the truth. The Steelers are looking for a mobile QB, which is something you can no longer say about Aaron Rodgers. The experiment with the Jets couldn’t have gone much worse than it did in those two years he was there. Just four plays into his Jets career, he tore his achilles and was gone for the entire 2023 season. The next year he returned and the Jets still looked like the Jets, despite fielding a team with a ton of talented players. It just never came together and was ultimately a disaster. Tennessee is an interesting spot because there are some good players on that team and the Titans showed last year, they are willing to throw money around to get quality players. Will Levis hasn’t really been what they hoped he would be and the Titans could be looking for a veteran to possibly come in so Levis can learn from him or they may just move on from Levis entirely. There’s also the age factor for Aaron Rodgers. Who would be willing to take a soon to be 42 year old QB who has shown that he is nowhere near the guy he was in Green Bay. He may not get a shot, in which case, retirement seems like the best option.

Russell Wilson- Raiders

Russell Wilson’s time in Pittsburgh was short lived but he did show signs that he still has some life in that arm. The connections with Pete Carroll make this destination seem like it makes the most sense. The Raiders have no current answer at QB and signing Wilson could be the smart play, getting a bridge QB until they can ultimately find their franchise guy. It would be an easy transition for both Wilson and Carroll. Pete Carroll has been out of coaching for a few years now and what better way to ease yourself back into the swing of things than to have a familiar face running the offense.

Justin Fields- Steelers

The Steelers have alot of holes to fill this offseason. They are definitely more than just a QB away from contending. Last year Justin Fields started the first 6 games and finished with a 4-2 record and a total of ten touchdowns to just one interception. Mike Tomlin went against everybody in that building in order to put Russell Wilson in and though it did work for the first few games, Wilson’s age and lack of mobility began to really show as the season went along. Justin Fields on the other hand, was showing improvement as a quarterback and the players and coaches all love working with him. This makes the most sense for all parties involved. Justin will likely not be too expensive to re-sign and he has come out himself and said he doesn’t want to go anywhere else and learn a whole new system again. If you’re the Steelers, you sign him to a two or three year deal, get some weapons and build around Justin and then ride it out in 2025 to see what you truly have with Fields. 

Sam Darnold- Giants

Darnold is an interesting case. He is coming off a year in which he re-invigorated his career in Minnesota. He had by far his best year as a pro last year and wasn’t even supposed to be the day one starter. The Vikings drafted Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy only to see him go down in the preseason with a torn acl and never play a down all season. Sam Darnold stepped in and guided the Vikings to a 14-win season and one win short of winning the stacked NFC North division. His final two games were not very good, however. The line did a poor job protecting Darnold and he seemed to revert back to what made him struggle so much in New York, likely costing him an even greater payday. The Giants could be a good spot for not only him to continue to grow from his experience in Minnesota, but could also be good for the Giants if he can recapture that Minnesota magic. He may not have Justin Jefferson to throw to but Malik Nabers  proved in his rookie season that he can be a legit threat catching the ball and with Darnold still in his twenties, they could develop a strong rapport and help dig the Giants out of the constant hole that they always find themselves in.