Have the Packers shown enough to justify running it back with Aaron Rodgers in 2023?

Whether the Packers' season ends on Sunday or in a matter of weeks, the discussion of whether to run it back with Aaron Rodgers will soon reignite.

On Sunday, the Green Bay Packers will take the field for their biggest game of the season. A victory over the Detroit Lions would clinch a playoff berth, the culmination of a previously unthinkable turnaround for the team. A loss would end the Packers' season, a crushing blow after winning four straight games to salvage the campaign.

But regardless of the outcome, the Packers will soon face another major question: Whether or not to run it back next season with Aaron Rodgers.

Green Bay has faced a version of this dilemma for several years. Rodgers nearly pushed his way out of town in 2021 following unfruitful contract negotiations and lingering resentment of team leadership. A less drama-filled version of the matter resurfaced this past offseason with Rodgers ultimately signing a record-setting contract mere days before All-Pro wideout Davante Adams successfully forced the Packers to trade him, setting the stage for a different kind of uncertainty for the franchise.

With the Packers now teetering between stamping their ticket to the playoffs and their first losing season since 2018, Rodgers' NFL future will soon become the topic du jour in Green Bay once more.

To make the case for running it back next season, Rodgers and the organization need to remain in lockstep on their goals. Let's investigate how those motivations align and, just as importantly, where they don't.

The case from Aaron Rodgers' perspective

For a time, it seemed like the Packers had validated the oft-repeated criticism of their team-building philosophy: not putting enough around Rodgers.

The two top-150 selections at wide receiver, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, flashed promise but demonstrated little consistency over the first half of the season. Meanwhile, the makeshift offensive line couldn't find its footing, forcing the reigning two-time MVP out of his comfort zone and resulting in a sputtering passing game. Add the inability to land a veteran receiver at the trade deadline, and the Packers' 3-6 record came as little surprise.

The two months have completely transformed that discourse. Watson, of course, blossomed into a star, demonstrating game-breaking skills and earning Offensive Rookie of the Month honors for November. The offensive line finally found a winning formula with Elgton Jenkins sliding back to guard, allowing it to overcome David Bakhtiari's absences. And, coming out of the bye, the defense even showed some signs of life.

All of those factors have helped the Packers do what once seemed impossible: position themselves for a playoff berth in Week 18.

"So much had to happen," Rodgers said of the improbable postseason push. "Which is why I said Sunday night that I had to wrap my head around the other scenarios and find a peace in that. I think any time you're dealing with the unknown, if you can take your mind to the worst-case scenario and put yourself in that position and find peace and contentment and just a general sense of, 'I'm OK,' it makes that unknown a lot less scary. I think for any of us that did that and took our mind to the place of, 'What if we do lose another game and we're out of this?' and finding some joy and peace in those moments of frustration, maybe allowed us to play a little bit freer."

Now, with Rodgers and the Packers back in the mix for the playoffs, the idea of the quarterback pushing his way out of town or retiring this offseason doesn't feel as tangible as it did months earlier. Green Bay still faces long odds of realizing its Super Bowl aspirations, but the core of the team looks strong. While parts of the roster will need serious attention before Week 1 of the 2023 campaign, the offense looks ready to take off with the young wideouts now entrenched and a full year of NFL experience under their belts.

Those factors could make Rodgers weary about departing Green Bay before next season. While the Packers can't entice him back with a talent like Davante Adams -- unless the Raiders make him available following their implosion -- Rodgers should have a quality offensive line and talented skill-position players. The supporting cast would look strong even if Bakhtiari or Aaron Jones doesn't return, though Rodgers and the team could find a way to make it all work.

Then, of course, comes the money. Rodgers will receive roughly $59.5 million in actual compensation by suiting up for Green Bay. While Rodgers has earned more than enough during his career to cover his family -- even the members he doesn't acknowledge -- for multiple generations, not many people turn down that kind of cash. Rodgers hasn't definitively declared his intentions, but he hinted at a desire to return next season, albeit with a stipulation.

"There's got to be mutual desire on both sides," Rodgers said last month.

Both the Packers' head coach and general manager confirmed that the team wants Rodgers back soon thereafter. Unless the future Hall of Fame signal-caller opts for retirement, it sure seems as though he will return for a 19th season in Green Bay.

The case from the Packers' perspective