Cowherd: Rodgers doesn’t want a trade like Carmelo’s
May 11, 2021, 10:35 AM
“The Herd” host Colin Cowherd said Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers should be “careful” in a potential trade to not end up like former Nuggets player Carmelo Anthony.
"Aaron Rodgers is closer to the Super Bowl in Green Bay this morning than he would be in Denver."
— @ColinCowherd on why the Packers QB should be wary if he lands with the Broncos: pic.twitter.com/aMEi7dlaWO
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 6, 2021
“What you don’t want is when Carmelo Anthony announced he’s going to be a New York Knick and the Denver Nuggets had to trade him,” Cowherd said. “The Knicks had to give everything up to get Carmelo, Denver had all the leverage and Carmelo ended up being a very expensive chandelier in a house with no furniture.”
Since ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported a rift between Rodgers and the Packers organization, the Denver Broncos have been considered a top landing spot.
When Anthony was traded to the Knicks in 2011 it was described as a “massive shift” for the NBA landscape, since Anthony at the time was one of the biggest stars.
NBC Sports said it best, the overall goal was that Anthony would help the Knicks return to relevance and make them true contenders. That never happened.
The Nuggets “won the trade” in some eyes because of the players and draft picks they received for Anthony.
Cowherd says Rodgers should want his potential new team to win the trade.
“Rodgers has to be careful because what he doesn’t want to do is go to Denver and they’ve given up their number two receiver, they’ve given up six draft picks,” Cowherd said. “What Aaron wants to do is go to a franchise that maybe gives up a couple first-round picks, but doesn’t have to give up any weapons.”
Potential trade offers for Rodgers have come in many different packages.
CBS Sports’ hypothetical trade consisted of quarterback Drew Lock, 2022 first-rounder, 2023 first-rounder, 2024 first-rounder, 2022 second-rounder, 2023 third-rounder.
Denver7’s Broncos insider Troy Renck recently wrote about what a trade could look like, consisting of first round picks in 2022, 2023, a second-rounder one of those years and a promising young player or players (Pat Surtain II and Tim Patrick).
The Broncos must play their cards right and land Rodgers with the talent around him to succeed.
“Denver has leverage, Green Bay doesn’t have nearly as much as they think and if you’re Aaron Rodgers, be careful,” Cowherd said. “Don’t corner Green Bay, don’t jam them up against the wall … you don’t want a Carmelo Anthony … you want the team that gets you to win the trade.”
