Jordy Nelson provided some clarity about how much longer he wants to play. The 10th-year Packers wideout is looking past his current contract but isn’t sure he will make it beyond the deal, which runs through 2018.
“I would say anywhere between two to four more years. I think four more – so this one and three more – would be my max,” Nelson said during an appearance on The HawkCast podcast with former teammate A.J. Hawk (via Zach Kruse of Packers Wire). “That would put me at 13 years. I’d be happy with that, obviously. At some point, I have to get my family back to Kansas.”
The 32-year-old Pro Bowler signed a four-year, $39MM deal in 2014 that runs through the ’18 season. Both he and Randall Cobb are signed through 2018, while Davante Adams is entering his contract year. Nelson, though, isn’t guaranteeing he’ll venture past next season. He’s on Green Bay’s books for $11.55MM this season and $12.55MM in 2018.
“I got two more years left on this deal, it would be great to play those out and kind of see where we’re at,” Nelson told Hawk. “Me personally, how I feel, how the body feels. And then, obviously, it’s up to the organization what they would want to do.”
Nelson tore his ACL during the 2015 preseason and missed the year but returned to catch 97 passes for 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns, the latter figure being the second-most he’s compiled in a season. The former second-round pick produced four 1,200-plus-yard receiving seasons in his past five healthy campaigns. During each of those, the Kansas State product played in 16 games.
Aaron Rodgers‘ presence looks to factor into Nelson’s potential free agency decision in 2019, should he enter that position. He will turn 33 in May.
“For my wife and my family, we’ve signed two extensions here in Green Bay, a lot of it was this community and this organization. It was a perfect fit for us,” Nelson said. “We have more money than what we’ll ever spend. That wasn’t going to be the biggest issue. But like you said, having a quarterback like Aaron, the best in the game with what he could do with his arm, his mind, his feet, everything. That definitely matters.
“We’ve seen it with other receivers who have left here and struggled. Because there’s a significant difference between what he can do and what some other quarterbacks around this league can do.”
Total class act, it’d be great to get him another championship or two before he retires.