Smoot: WFT 'legit Super Bowl contender' by adding Aaron Rodgers originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers has yet to report to any practices in Green Bay this offseason and the future of the reigning NFL MVP remains murky with the only franchise he's ever known.
The Packers have been insistent that they won't trade the 37-year-old signal-caller, which means a likely training camp holdout and standoff appears to be coming later this month. But, if the Packers do end up moving on from the three-time MVP, could the Washington Football Team be an option?
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Speaking on 106.7 The Fan's B-Mitch and Finlay, former Washington cornerback Fred Smoot believes the Burgundy and Gold would be championship contenders if they somehow added Rodgers (which we can all agree is probably a pretty big if.)
"I'm a big Aaron Rodgers guy," Smoot said. "If Aaron Rodgers is on this team, with an elite defense, running game, wide receiving corps, we are a legit Super Bowl contender. We couldn't say that for 30 years. We are legit a Super Bowl contender."
On the back of a dominant defense, Washington won an improbable NFC East title in 2020 despite having to play four different quarterbacks. They then gave eventual champion Tampa Bay a tough game in their playoff matchup.
For Smoot, Washington's performance in that game proved to him that Ron Rivera's club is not far off from competing with the NFL's best, especially if they were able to add one of the league's best quarterbacks.
"If you look at the team that gave Tampa the most problems last year, it was this roster with Taylor Heinicke," Smoot said. "Now you put Aaron Rodgers..."
Smoot, who was quick to point out all of the young defensive talent Washington has, believes that the Football Team has the pieces to make a trade with Green Bay for Rodgers, too.
"We have the [capital] to get him," Smoot said. "I hate to say it but you might have to part with one of them bad defensive lineman."
Currently, Washington has veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick as its starter, who signed a one-year deal with the team in free agency. Fitzpatrick hasn't been named QB1 yet -- he'll have to beat out Heinicke in camp -- but the expectation is that the 38-year-old is Washington's Week 1 starter and provides an upgrade at the sport's most important position than what the team had last fall.
If all goes right, Washington should be even better than they were in 2020. But if they were to acquire Rodgers -- somehow or someway -- the expectations in Washington will be higher this fall than they've been in three decades.
