Saints DE Cam Jordan has a pitch for Aaron Rodgers to come to New Orleans 👀⬇️ @camjordan94
"I heard he had some rifts with his last head coach, so I'm just saying, maybe come pick one out [in New Orleans]!" pic.twitter.com/Uw0RQwX1DF
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 27, 2022
Cameron Jordan isn’t interested in being complacent. The New Orleans Saints defensive end watched his head coach step away from the team on Tuesday and was hitting his television spots by Thursday, and he’s got an important message to share: the Saints aren’t going under just because Sean Payton isn’t at the helm.
As far as Jordan is concerned, his team has what it takes to compete against anyone — including suitors for embattled Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He made a public appeal to Rodgers to consider a trade to New Orleans, from one California Golden Bear to another:
“I heard he had some rifts with his last head coach, so I’m just saying, maybe come pick one out!” Jordan laughed during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up morning show. While Rodgers has frequently wilted in the playoffs, ending his last four postseason campaigns with an average deficit of 12 points, he’d enjoy a stronger supporting cast in New Orleans. The Saints defense is better than the Packers defense. Michael Thomas is better than Davante Adams, and Alvin Kamara is better than everyone in the Green Bay backfield combined. It might be a more appealing destination than at first glance, especially if he can pick the head coach he wants to work with.
And Rodgers has infamously grappled for control with the Packers brass, fussing to the media in hopes of earning more input for personnel decisions. Like Tom Brady, he’s one of the most gifted passers of his generation. And he wants to be treated like Brady when the team around him is being built. Maybe those concessions are worth considering for New Orleans.
“I’m not sure what kind of, like, access top tier quarterbacks get, I’m a defensive end I just worry about hitting the next quarterback,” Jordan added, acknowledging that general manager Mickey Loomis and team owner Gayle Benson are the ones calling the shots. He continued, “But you know quarterbacks normally have a bit more executive say than regular players, so I’m just saying, maybe this could help us out in the long run.”
Hey, you can’t blame Jordan for trying. Buccaneers fans certainly aren’t complaining after Brady brought them a Super Bowl title after decades of irrelevance. If Rodgers has any interest in coming to New Orleans, victim complex and all, the Saints should make a call. Talents like his come around only rarely. It’s why you tolerate all the baggage he brings with him.
As for Jordan: he’s a special talent, too. It’s clear from his guest appearances on ESPN and NFL Network that he’s comfortable in front of the camera, and he should enjoy a very successful media career once he’s ready to hang up his cleats. And if he keeps up his current pace, he’ll be able to market himself to employers (when the time comes) as the Saints’ all-time sacks leader. His 12.5 sacks in 2021 put him up to 107 in his career, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Rickey Jackson (115) in New Orleans’ record books. If he surpasses Jackson, maybe Jordan winds up in the Hall of Fame himself. But let’s not worry too much about that until the time is right.
