Raiders Passed On Aaron Rodgers In The 2005 Draft And Again Two Years Later

Aaron Rodgers isn’t going to quarterback the Raiders anytime soon, but fate spent the first two years of his NFL career trying to get him there. The Raiders just weren’t having any parts of it.

Initially, the Raiders passed on drafting Rodgers with the 23rd overall pick in the 2005 draft in favor of Fabian Washington. Rodgers went a pick later to the Green Bay Packers. Everyone knows that story, but it doesn’t end there.

Two years later, with Brett Favre still entrenched as the Packers starter, the Raiders had an opportunity to get Rodgers from Green Bay in exchange for Randy Moss. Instead, Al Davis traded Moss to the Patriots for a fourth-round pick that he would spend on track star cornerback John Bowie.

Coincidentally, by passing on the Rodgers deal, the Raiders ended up taking JaMarcus Russell with the first overall pick that year instead of Calvin Johnson. Meaning that rather than going into the 2007 season with arguably the most talented quarterback and wide receiver of the decade, the Raiders opted for Russell and Bowie, instead. Ironically, Bowie ended up staying in the league longer than Russell.

And you guys thought Jon Gruden had a train wreck of an offseason…

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