Aaron Rodgers Rumors: 'No Way' Saints Pursue Trade for Packers QB

The New Orleans Saints reportedly aren't planning to pursue a trade for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers during the 2022 NFL offseason.

A source told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on Thursday there's "no way the Saints will make a run" at the four-time Most Valuable Player.

Neither the Packers nor Rodgers have given a clear indication they've decided to go their separate ways before the start of next season despite the ample speculation, which stems from the quarterback staying away from the franchise for most of last offseason before returning for training camp.

After the team's campaign ended with a playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the 38-year-old California native said he didn't want to wait through a roster reconstruction at this stage of his career.

"I don't want to be a part of a rebuild if I'm going to keep playing," Rodgers told reporters in late January.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur responded to those comments by saying that's not the direction the team is planning to go.

"There's no plan for a rebuild," LaFleur said. "You get this close, obviously win a lot of football games, and we know in order for there not to be that, he's got to be a part of this thing. I don't think that's anybody's intention."

If Green Bay wants to convince Rodgers to stay for another year, the process probably begins with getting his favorite target, Davante Adams, under contract, either via an extension or the franchise tag.

Should the 10-time Pro Bowl selection ultimately seek a trade, the Saints had made sense on paper following a season where they posted a 9-8 record despite being hampered by subpar quarterback play after Jameis Winston suffered a torn ACL in October.

Spotrac projects New Orleans is $76.2 million over the salary cap ending the offseason, however, and the $46.7 million cap hit in Rodgers' contract would only further complicate the situation.

The Saints could probably make it work by releasing players and restructuring the deals of others, but whether that would leave a roster that's still at a title-contention level is far from certain.

Rodgers may find it difficult to land in a more promising situation than Green Bay if his main focus is winning another championship.

The Packers are coming off a year in which they posted a 13-4 record to sit atop the NFC standings, and the AFC is loaded with young quarterback talent, so switching conferences would lead to more playoff hurdles.

So, unless his relationship with the front office is irreversibly broken, staying put may once again be his best bet amid another spring likely filled with plenty of rumors about his future.