Aaron Rodgers has been trying to gauge which teams might have interest in him as a starting quarterback, and New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner feels there is one perfect fit for his soon-to-be former teammate.
Rodgers has been linked to the Minnesota Vikings via a domino effect. The Seattle Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday. That led to reports that Seattle could target Sam Darnold as its next quarterback. If Darnold signs with the Seahawks, the Vikings might look to bring in a new veteran quarterback as a bridge option with JJ McCarthy still making his way back from a significant knee injury.
Rodgers is viewed as a “dark horse” candidate to join the Vikings. Gardner believes signing Rodgers would be a very, very smart move for Minnesota. The Pro Bowl defensive back predicted in a social media post on Sunday that Rodgers “might be #1 in all QB stats” if the 41-year-old were to sign with the Vikings.
Ahmad Sauce Gardner looking on
Aug 12, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell helped resurrect Darnold’s career. Darnold, who had been widely viewed as a bust because of his failed stint with the New York Jets, played at an MVP-caliber level for much of the 2024 season. He finished 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while leading Minnesota to a 14-3 record.
While it is highly unlikely that Rodgers would be capable of leading the NFL in any major QB stat category, he could potentially be productive under O’Connell. Gardner thinks the sky would be the limit for the duo.