GREEN BAY, Wis. -- If Aaron Rodgers has surgery to repair his broken collarbone, it could help facilitate a return before this season is over.

While surgery would be far more invasive than just rest and recovery, it might be the best option for the Green Bay Packers quarterback.

“Actually, surgery would accelerate the recovery, not the other way around,” ESPN injury analyst Stephania Bell said. “You can begin moving much sooner because the fracture is stabilized by the hardware.”

Aaron Rodgers could opt for surgery to speed up his return to the field. Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

Rodgers did not undergo surgery when he fractured his left clavicle in 2013 and returned after seven weeks of rest and rehabilitation. He came back for the regular-season finale and the playoff loss the next week.

Rodgers’ latest injury, the broken right clavicle he sustained in Sunday’s loss at Minnesota, occurred in Week 6, and the Packers still have their bye to come after this Sunday’s game against the Saints. In 2013, he was injured in Week 9 and the Packers already had their bye. However, unlike the last time, the Packers said Sunday that there’s a chance Rodgers could miss the rest of the season -- a sign this break is worse than the last one. Plus, it's to his throwing side.

Fewest Different Starting QBs The Packers are synonymous with QB stability, most notably Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre. Since Favre's first year with the Packers in 1992, the Packers have had just six different starting QBs, which is the fewest in the NFL. Packers 6 << Giants 9 Patriots 10 Steelers 13 >> Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre,

Don Majkowski, Matt Flynn,

Scott Tolzien and Seneca Wallace

The severity of injury -- and not necessarily when it happened -- could determine whether Rodgers undergoes surgery. In the case of surgery, Rodgers most likely would have a metal plate and screws implanted to stabilize the break. However, there’s another surgical option called a “Mumford” procedure in which part of the clavicle is shaved off or removed. That’s the surgery former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo had in March 2016. Romo returned in time for the Cowboys' OTA practices. However, that surgery can only be performed on certain types of breaks.

“Some fractures dictate surgery -- if it’s severely displaced, for example,” Bell said. “But in some cases, like his last one, you could opt for surgery or opt for conservative treatment. There are real differences of opinion among physicians as to how to manage it.”

Bell said following surgery, some players can being running and lifting after four weeks.

"Why is early motion beneficial?" she said. "Because the health of all the soft tissue benefits from movement. Less stiffness at the shoulder should make it easier to restore normal arc or motion necessary for a thrower."