More Details Emerge From Aaron Rodgers’ Contract Situation

Aaron Rodgers‘ popular two-week turn as host of Jeopardy! has overshadowed an increasingly tumultuous contract situation between he and the Green Bay Packers.

Fresh off of a late-career MVP season, and second-straight run to the NFC Championship Game, the future Hall of Famer’s long term future in Green Bay hangs in the balance. Most figured that Rodgers would either accept a restructured deal to free up a good chunk of cap space, or the Packers would commit to him long term after his incredible 2020 campaign. As of now, neither has really happened.

Rodgers has three years left of his current $134 million deal with the Packers, though the team could move on from him after the season if they so desire. He is set to make $25 million in base salary next year, if Green Bay moves forward with him. Right now, it seems unlikely that he’ll be playing on this same deal, no matter what happens.

According to Ian Rapoport, the two sides have been at a real impasse. The Packers wanted to convert Rodgers’ $14.6 million base salary this year into a bonus, to free up cap space. They wound up paying him the smaller $6.8 million roster bonus. Rodgers wanted a long term contract extension, signaling the team’s commitment to him. Neither got done.

Aaron Rodgers did not have his best season in 2019, the first year under Matt LaFleur. Last year, the team drafted a potential heir apparent for him in Utah State’s Jordan Love, trading up a few spots in the first round to secure him. Rodgers admitted that he was not happy with the Love pick, and the fact that the Packers didn’t get him more help on offense with the pick.

He responded with one of the best seasons of his career.

Rodgers could have helped the Packers retool the roster by taking the restructured deal, but he clearly wants a hard commitment from the team. On the other hand, Love is a project, and the Packers may not be doing themselves any favors with their fans by risking the relationship with Rodgers, especially if he has a Tom Brady-like run into his 40s with him. Even if it is a risk to recommit to a quarterback his age, is the risk bigger than eventually handing the reins over to Love, who couldn’t break the two-deep last season? Probably not. Ultimately, it would be a big surprise if the Packers didn’t succumb to Rodgers’ desires in the next year, but they’re playing serious hardball for now.

[Peter Bukowski]

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