Aaron Rodgers holdout resolution: Winners and losers

For those who missed it, the Aaron Rodgers holdout is officially over.

During the three-month standoff, it seemed any number of outcomes were possible. Rodgers could have found a new team, signed a massive new agreement, or even retired. However, the storm has died down. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers have arrived at a ceasefire for the 2021 season.

The news has implications across the team and across the league. Here are three winners and losers affected by the resolution of the holdout.

Aaron Rodgers saga: Winners and whiners

Winners

#1 - Davante Adams

Davante Adams was on the cusp of moving on from Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers' future at the franchise on the brink of collapse. Instead, 2021 will be just another year for the top-tier wide receiver. Last season, Adams earned 1,374 yards and 18 touchdowns.

#2 - Packers fans

Without Aaron Rodgers, the Packers would be in for an era of uncertainty. Packers fans have high expectations after dominating for the majority of the last 20 years. A sub-par year without Aaron Rodgers would have been a shock for Packers fans. Considering the financial losses the franchise faced due to COVID-19, another year with a reduced turnout would have had serious implications for the franchise.

Crisis averted.

#3 - Randall Cobb

Even after softening tensions between Rodgers and the Packers, the Packers wanted to give Rodgers a gift in an effort to keep the reigning MVP happy. That gift was Randall Cobb, one of Rodgers' former teammates who was ousted a number of years ago.

Cobb was with the Houston Texans before being traded to Green Bay. As a result, he goes from one of the bottom teams in the league to one of the perennial Super Bowl contenders.

Whiners

#1 - Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos were largely seen as the top fit for Aaron Rodgers. With the Rodgers holdout now over, the Broncos have to choose between a struggling Drew Lock and a traveling journeyman in Teddy Bridgewater. It does not take deep analysis to explain why Rodgers is a better option than Lock and Bridgewater.

.@packers LT David Bakhtiari got Aaron Rodgers his own Aston Martin golf cart as a comeback gift 😱(@DavidBakhtiari IG) pic.twitter.com/a2ypygQsHW

— Sportskeeda Pro Football (@SKProFootball) July 30, 2021

#2 - Packers fans in 2022

While Packers fans are rejoicing about Aaron Rodgers' return for 2021, it sets a potentially dark tone for the future. Rodgers will likely be elsewhere in 2022. The QB hasn't said it explicitly, but there appears to be no avoiding it. The Rodgers era is nearing its end.

Green Bay Packers v San Francisco 49ers

#3 - Jordan Love

Jordan Love was psyching himself up to be the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers this season. Instead, he will be holding the clipboard for the third year in a row. This could be the difference between setting records and barely missing them late in his career, assuming he works out well enough to make it that far.