The Aaron Rodgers scenario that Peyton Manning ‘can’t fathom’

Peyton Manning would like to see Aaron Rodgers play next season, regardless of which team he’s on.

Rodgers has been at a crossroads with the Packers’ front office and is unsure about his future in Green Bay. It is uncertain if he will play for the Packers, request a trade, or even retire. However, Rodgers is set to make his decision about the upcoming season in “the next couple of weeks.”

“Obviously it’s the question of the summer here in Denver,” Manning said on MLB Network Monday at Coors Field during MLB All-Star workouts. “Obviously, I hope he plays somewhere this year. The fact that Aaron Rodgers might not play this year, I can’t fathom it. He’s too good of a player, too fun to watch for the fans. I personally hope it’s in Green Bay. That’s what I see him as (and) I hope they can kinda make amends and work (it) out. That is team is so close, if he were to leave there it’d be a major change, obviously, for them.”

The Rodgers drama kicked off after the Packers’ 31-26 loss to the Buccaneers in the NFC Championship game. After the loss, Rodgers claimed that his future with the Packers was “uncertain,” which caused panic in Wisconsin.

Since then, he reportedly told the Packers he wanted out. The two-time MVP skipped the Packers’ OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and he went on Kenny Mayne’s final “SportsCenter” to allude to issues with the Packers’ “culture.”

Throughout the offseason, teams have reached out to the Packers to see how they can acquire the star quarterback, one of which was the San Francisco 49ers. However, the one team that could be the most logical match is the Denver Broncos. Von Miller — Denver’s star pass rusher — thinks that they can secure Rodgers‘ services. But Manning, who played for the Broncos for four seasons, cannot picture Rodgers playing anywhere but Green Bay.

“My gut is he’s not coming to Denver,” Manning said. “My gut is Denver’s gonna have Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater be their quarterback. At this point, you gotta kinda know what your plan is. You can’t be having a new quarterback three weeks before the season.”