ESPN Reporter: Aaron Rodgers 'Decisively' Leaning Toward Staying With Packers

Former Cal star Aaron Rodgers could announce his decision on his future any day now, but in the meantime everyone is looking for little clues as to whether the Packers quarterback will remain in Green Bay for the 2022 season, request a trade to another team or retire from football.

So when ESPN NFL Insider Jeff Darlington said on Monday's SportsCenter that Packers officials believe Rodgers is "decisively" leaning toward staying with the team it was news.

Here is what Darlington said Monday, according to 247 Sports:

"Based on all of my conversations over the last several weeks, whether it’s close to the Packers organization or people close to Rodgers, they still feel like the momentum is decisively leaning toward Aaron Rodgers returning to Green Bay. This goes back to the day that they hired Tom Clements as the quarterbacks coach. That was the big one here. That was the first shoe to drop, essentially saying the Packers are going to do the things that Aaron Rodgers wants to happen.

“Everybody I’ve talked to says the conversations since the end of the season have been positive and optimistic. If they get Davante Adams done, I believe there will be reassurances that Randall Cobb will be done. And of course the contract, which the Packers also are willing to adjust to make Rodgers happy. As long as this thing doesn’t go sideways, this still feels to me that Aaron Rodgers will return tot he Packers.”

Rodgers has mentioned his respect for Clements in the past, so the Packers' hiring of Clements as quarterbacks coach seemed like a tactic to convince Rodgers to stay in Green Bay.

Other NFL teams might be thinking Rodgers will stay with Green Bay because Packers general manager Brian Gutkunst said Tuesday that no team has made a trade offer for Rodgers.

"Not at all," Gutekunst said, according to ESPN.com. "Not at all. Not a single person."

Teams might be waiting to see if Rodgers announces that he wants to play for another team before getting involved. Or they may believe Rodgers isn't going anywhere.

Everything Rodgers has said since the end of the season suggests his relationship with general manager Brian Kutekunst is much better than it was last year at this time, when Rodgers requested a trade. Kutekunst said the same thing in his recent press conference.

Rodgers, 37, won the MVP award for the second straight year -- and for the fourth time overall -- following the 2021 season.

There were reports recently that Rodgers wants to be the highest paid player in the NFL, something in the neighborhood of $50 million a year, but Rodgers said those reports were inaccurate.

Rodgers is still under contract with the Packers for the 2022 season, but reportedly Rodgers and the Packers brass had a verbal agreement that they would accommodate Rodgers if he wanted to go to another team for the 2022 season.

The one intriguing possibility for Rodgers is the Broncos, who hired Nathaniel Hackett as their head coach after being the Packers offensive coordinator and a favorite of Rodgers'. Broncos GM George Paton said all options for obtaining a quarterback, and ESPN reported this Tuesday:

The Broncos have been an oft-discussed landing spot for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers if Green Bay eventually chooses to actually consider offers for the 10-time Pro Bowl selection. And while Paton cannot publicly discuss Rodgers' situation because he is under contract with another team, Paton did say he would consider a blockbuster deal for a veteran quarterback if he had the chance.

Cover photo of Aaron Rodgers by Jeff Schumacher, USA TODAY Sports

Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Find Cal Sports Report on Facebook by searching: @si.calsportsreport or going to https://www.facebook.com/si.calsportsreport