FRIDAY: Rodgers has certainly made himself far more accessible since his 2021 holdout ended; his latest comments attempted to refute the report he wants $50MM per year. The four-time MVP called reports he wants to be the NFL’s highest-paid player by a wide margin “categorically false,” via Pat McAfee (video link).
While Rodgers has a case for such a salary, given his accomplishments since signing his current deal in 2018, a market-resetting pact would affect the Packers or another team’s ability to build a championship contender around him. In Rodgers’ defense, he insisted his 2021 holdout was not about money and stuck to his guns by playing last season on a deal that Mahomes and other younger passers have since surpassed. A contract adjustment will almost certainly be necessary for Rodgers to stay in Green Bay; his 2022 cap number surges to $46.7MM.
THURSDAY: The Packers hope they will have Aaron Rodgers back next season, and Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com notes the sides have been communicating (video link). Rodgers and the team have discussed his contract, Demovsky adds, as they navigate a complex cap situation.
Similar to Rodgers’ 2018 negotiations, keeping the future first-ballot Hall of Famer around would mean making him the NFL’s highest-paid player. Rodgers is believed to be targeting a deal that makes him the league’s highest-paid player by a wide margin, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Podcast (video link), mentioning $50MM per year as a relevant number here.
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While this would be a monster number and represent a seismic increase in quarterback salaries over the past two years, Rodgers is now negotiating with back-to-back MVPs on his resume. The quarterback market was at $35MM (Russell Wilson) as of summer 2020, and Patrick Mahomes reached $45MM on average because he agreed to a 10-year extension. Rodgers’ age stands to limit the length of his next contract, so a deal worth $50MM or close to it on average would be a more player-friendly agreement than the one Mahomes landed.
Following Mahomes’ pact, Dak Prescott and Josh Allen each scored deals at or north of $40MM AAV. Allen got to $43MM but did so on a six-year deal. Although a Rodgers extension would be vital for the Packers’ 2022 cap situation, as they are still nearly $40MM over without factoring in a Davante Adams franchise tag, this would be a tremendous markup from the superstar QB’s current $33.5MM extension. When Rodgers agreed to that extension in August 2018, the NFL was barely a year removed from having its first $25MM-per-year player (Derek Carr).
The obvious wrinkle interfering with the Packers authorizing a record Rodgers extension remains. He has not informed the Packers he wants to stay in Green Bay, and Russini reports multiple teams have sent the Packers offers (Twitter link). Rodgers does intend to inform the Pack of his decision soon, Russini adds, but with the franchise tag window having opened this week, the situation has moved into crunch time for the team.
The Broncos have been the team most closely connected to a Rodgers pursuit. They were on Rodgers’ destination list last year. It would be surprising if the Packers sent Rodgers to an NFC team, but that does not stop NFC franchises from sending over proposals. The Panthers and Commanders have been linked to QB pursuits. Should Rodgers have a new employer soon, that team would need to authorize this record-setting extension. Of course, Brian Gutekunst said Wednesday he did not promise to trade Rodgers in the event of a request. That could be a rather notable hurdle here, should Rodgers inform the Packers he wants out.
So add 1 dollar over Mahomies AVV.
Gutekunst is willing to pay Rodgers with Dogecoin and shares of GameStop.
He is the last year on his contract of back to back MVP seasons and with Tom Brady now retired.
Ofcourse he’s going to demand 50mil a season.
He’s wanted out of Green Bay for what seems like a few years now, a lot of the other old great QBs all changed teams late in their career it’s what happens. Tom went to Tampa, Payton to Denver, Montana to the chiefs, Farve went to the jets and Vikings….
Don’t be surprised when Rodgers doesn’t sign an extension and leaves in FA. He won’t be after 50mil then, he will be after a team that’ll accomodate him the best, has loads of weapons on offence and has a chance a winning the league.
Denver don’t make much sense in a strong division, NFC south and AFC south make a lot of sense
Minnesota could deal Cousins. They have the weapons and they are in a weak division, especially with Adams and Rodgers out of GB
And why would GB trade him to a division rival?
Makes no sense at all, the packers would never trade him to a division rival… and why would the Vikings trade cousins anyway? He’s an above average QB
Nobody is taking on Cousins at $45mill
well a trade would be $35M so there’s that. The remaining $10 stays on the Vikings books as part of the signing bonus.
Makes sense as a FA destination but not as a trade spot. I don’t think he’s traded I think he leaves in FA. I don’t think Minny is the place tho. He’s out up with terrible weather in Green Bay I’m sure by now he’s ready for somewhere warm
The Vikings play indoors…
… And is still cold AF outdoors during the season.
Dude is from California, he wants to sit by a pool outside after practice and work on his tan
That kinda goes against all the supposed factual accounts of him desperately wanting to go to Denver, doesn’t it?
He just had back to back MVP seasons and they still didn’t win.
What happens if he leaves for nothing?
Trade him now.
He’s a year older. A year more mentally ill.
Trading him now gives GB the chance to reload for another decade of contention.
Keeping him gives them maybe one more run, which might still fall short as it has the past few years and then a long rebuild.
He is not “mentally ill.” He just has ideologies and opinions different than you. Be better.
Oh I see, anti-vaxxers are touchy and defensive vicariously. His mental illness long pre-dates his dubious medical choices.
I’ve known Rodgers was mentally ill since he claimed with 100% sincerity that he was qualified to be the GM of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Never gave him a second thought before then. Since then, his Narcissistic Personality Disorder is blindingly obvious.
His every move can be traced back to it.
Lol I’m not an anti-vaxxer. I am vaccinated and believe it’s the right thing to do. So swing and a miss there, buddy. But to call Rodgers “mentally-ill” is a terrible use of the term. I’d say Rodgers is weird and maybe thinks he’s smarter than he really is, but I think throwing mental-illness out there is just irresponsible. But, hey, do you.
Read up on NPD, apply it to what you know about Rodgers and tell me how I’m wrong.
And you’ll see I’m right.
Are you a psychiatrist? If not, then you’re not right.
So, you can’t actually dispute what I said, you can simply hide behind garden variety Appeal to Authority?
Silly Rodgies.
You’re wrong
OK. Explain how.
And if you can’t, you are just a miffed sycophant.
I’ll wait, Rodgie…
I don’t think he’s mentally ill, just way, way dumber than he thinks he is.
Mahomes, Rodgers, Allen, Prescott, feels like one name shouldn’t be mentioned on the same breath as the other 3….
Exactly dak bent jerry jones over that bench and the rest is history
There is no harm in asking for the moon. The “no” answer doesn’t cause as much harm as the “I wish I had asked for…” regret.
Was Brady ever the highest paid QB in the league? It seemed like he always took less to make sure that his team had more to spend on complementary players. maybe the problem is Rodgers can’t stay attached to any of the rich women he dates and doesn’t have that second salary like Tom had with Giselle, so he has to make his own money. He could sign a lucrative extension while still making 35-40 million and help the team but he wants top dollar and they won’t win that way.
Rodgers has never dated anyone a quarter as rich as Giselle.
I say make a deal with Cleveland and get Bakers Mayfield put franchise tag on Adams. Trade Rodgers and get a couple first round choices for this year’s draft. Keep restructuring contracts. I’m sorry if we do something like that were still a Super Bowl caliber team especially if we resign Campbell and Douglas. Then draft for your defense with the numerous first round picks. One year w/o Rodgers I think Adams will change his mind in staying in Green Bay. You could even go and Trade Rodgers to the Raiders for Carr and their first rounder and were still a Super Bowl contender because Carr and Adams got chemistry.
A couple things…
1. Mayfield isn’t good.
2. The key to any trade involving Rodgers is, unless he agrees to PLAY for whoever wants him prior to a deal actually being made (not to mention new contract/extension with said team) it ain’t happening..and I sincerely doubt Cleveland is in the top 20 of potential landing spots.
3. My hunch is Adams won’t play on the franchise tag, especially with Mayfield or Love as the qb. Remember, Adams and OBJ are supposedly close, and OBJ threw Mayfield under the bus. That aside, I think Adams can see for himself the talent isn’t there.
Carr..? Very intriguing idea..just not sure anymore if LV is willing to make such a deal.
Can Tampa afford him? Seems like taking Brady’s spot would be an obvious fit for both sides.
I’m guessing he doesn’t want to follow Brady and live in his shadow.
“Brady is gone Aaron, he cant hurt you anymore”
The greed and arrogance thinking you deserve this kind of money is sickening. You PLAY a GAME for a job. Idc how good you are…this amount of money is disgusting.
Stop with the ‘he plays a game’ nonsense. Football is a business, so are all of the other sports. It’s not a game, it’s a business. He’s an employee and potentially the best one in a league that generates insane amounts of profit. He absolutely ‘deserves’ that kind of money because if he doesn’t get it, who will? The owners? Do they deserve that much money?
That is the dumbest take. If you were him you would ask for every last $ you could. If you say you wouldn’t you’re lying to yourself.
He is one of 32 people in the world that people consider good enough to be a QB1.
When you are 1 of 32 out of like 7 billion people, you get the chance to make $50M a year.
If he were a burger flipper, his pay obviously would be that of a job that millions and millions of people are capable of.
If it was “just a game” why don’t you play the same game so you can request 50 million a year too? Because while we all played football when we were kids as a game this isn’t the same. This is the best football players in the world, until you’re on their level pipe down junior
Not going anywhere. Was never going anywhere. Media driven narratives are always BS.
This has nothing to do with the media. This is a Rodgers driven narrative.
This narrative has been so badly driven it’s a wonder innocent pedestrians haven’t been run over crossing the street. Rodgers needs his driving license revoked.
I’d love a Carr for Rodgers swap. Might make sense for both teams
Maybe Carr and Waller no way carr by himself is equal to rodgers
Care is not on Rodgers level but he will make about 20 mill less. That way they can actually afford to pay other players.
I’d be interested to see what else GB can field with a $45-50 mill QB and $30 Mill receiver.
Carr might be looking for a new deal north of $40 per. By that math, Rodgers is now demanding over $60 mil per..? Or…something is not accurate.
given A-Rod’s ego that might not be far off.
$60 million it is then. Do I hear $70?
If Rodgers thinks he could get $60M at this point in his career it explains why he was too dumb to be the host of Jeopardy.
Except nobody has even hinted at anything close to $60 million..except bigeasye..and I don’t believe that was intentional.