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The 2021 NFL Draft is underway, but the major drama started just before the Jacksonville Jaguars went on the clock at No. 1 overall. Those rumors revolved around the Green Bay Packers, their reigning MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and a potential trade to the Denver Broncos. While no trade is imminent just yet, there is still some speculation that something could get done this offseason.
With the No. 9 overall pick in the draft, the Broncos made the choice to select Alabama standout cornerback Patrick Surtain II. It was a pick that surprised some, as Denver already has a lot of talent at the cornerback position. That begs the question, could their decision to take Surtain mean that they could still acquire Rodgers from the Packers?
Former player and NFL analyst Mark Schlereth stirred up the pot aggressively by reporting that his sources were telling him that Rodgers being traded to the Broncos was “close to a done deal.”
I’m hearing @AaronRodgers12 to @Broncos is close to a done deal… still could fall thru but fingers crossed 🤞🏽 pic.twitter.com/9C4GZnT9VL
— Mark Schlereth (@markschlereth) April 29, 2021
Nothing has happened so far and other reports have come out saying that the Broncos were not in talks with the Packers about a potential Rodgers trade. However, we are going to take a closer look at what the selection of Surtain could mean for these rumors.
Could the selection have an impact on the two teams being able to come to an agreement on a trade? Absolutely. The Packers have a major need for a cornerback and Surtain would look nice across the field from star cornerback Jaire Alexander.
Surtain is coming off of an impressive three-year career with the Crimson Tide. He ended his career with 111 total tackles to go along with four forced fumbles, four interceptions, one defensive touchdown, and 25 defended passes. Those numbers show why a team like the Packers, or even the Broncos, would have interest in adding him to the roster.
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With that being said, Surtain could absolutely come into play during trade conversations with the Packers. They would love to have him. Does it mean that a trade is a sure thing? Probably not.
Denver has both Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby on the roster as their projected starting cornerbacks. They also have Bryce Callahan on the roster. All of those guys are good players, but the potential that Surtain possesses could still be intriguing to John Elway and company.
Remember, Callahan will be playing in the final year of his two-year contract with the Broncos in 2021. He will hit free agency next offseason and there is a good chance that Denver will not end up re-signing him. Darby is a great player, but he is no star and does not have the kind of star potential that Surtain possesses.
A trade with the Packers absolutely could still end up happening with Surtain at the center of those talks. But, it's important to not get carried away looking into this pick as a sign that the two teams are working on a trade. Denver could very possibly have taken Surtain with the intention of keeping him and developing him.
It will be interesting to see how things go over the next few weeks between Rodgers and the Packers. The franchise may still choose to trade him, but they will do everything they can to convince him to stay first. They were just one win away from the Super Bowl in each of the last two seasons and would definitely prefer not to make a major move.
Expect to hear the rumors continue flying about the Packers, Broncos, and Aaron Rodgers, but at this point in time, don't read into anything. Rodgers seems likely to stick with the Packers and the franchise has been voicing that they won't trade him time and time again.
