"I don't want be a bum" - Packers QB Aaron Rodgers hints at retirement

The Green Bay Packers began their mandatory minicamp this week and fans of the franchise were elated to see their quarterback Aaron Rodgers back in the fold. The superstar missed the team's voluntary OTAs, and his presence at minicamp was a treat for fans.

The quarterback spoke to reporters on Tuesday afternoon and the conversation was based around retirement. The superstsar said that he is "definitely" retiring as a member of the Packers "unless they trade me."

Here's what he said:

"The playing is easy. That's the easy part. It's the other part that's a grind ... It seems like a slightly bigger commitment to come up to being the guy again in another season. Obviously, I don't want to be a bum standing back there playing like crap and not able to move around, so if the talent goes, it's a no-brainer, but it's a little harder when you can still really play..."

The continued:

"This is my 18th season. Of course, you think about the next chapter and what’s next in your life all the time. It doesn’t mean you’re not fully invested."

He concluded by saying:

"When I said I’m back, I’m 100 percent invested, and Matt LaFleur and I keep in touch all the time, and Tom and the young quarterbacks. When I’m here, I’m all in, and those guys know that. They know what to expect from me, the type of play, the type of leadership, and that’s what they’re going to get."

The quarterback appeared to be in good spirits at the minicamp, which can be viewed as a great sign for fans of the franchise, though perhaps not so good for his NFC rivals.

Can the Green Bay Packers get to the Super Bowl without star receiver Davante Adams?

Green Bay Packers v Detroit Lions

The Green Bay Packers will have a tall task ahead of them in 2022 if they wish to advance further than they did in 2021, which was a loss in the divisional round of the playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers.

One of the primary reasons for that is the loss of former star receiver Davante Adams, who was traded away to the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason.

Adams is widely considered the best receiver in the game today and his loss to the Packers is magnified by the fact that the team lost two other receivers (Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown).

The team drafted receiver Christian Watson out of North Dakota State University in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

At 6'5", 207 pounds, Watson runs a 4.36 40-yard dash, which means that he should be able to take the top off a defense and open up the field for others. The hope is that he can take some of the pressure off of his quarterback, who will now have the weight of the world on his shoulders without Adams.

Packer nation should hold on to their cheese wheels as the 2022 season will be a referendum on arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. Be sure to keep an eye on their progress when the NFL season kicks off later this year.