Aaron Rodgers signs historic 4yr, $200M contract with Packers

[The Cooler King]

Most presume he is. He has decent leverage to hold out for a trade or just retire.

The big issue for the Packers is they will start in about a $45m cap hole and that's with Adams as a FA. With a franchise tag north of $19M, it makes a Adams franchise tag basically impossible unless they cut Rodgers or he agrees to an extension/restructure to lower his cap hit.

They'd probably have to cut both Smith's and Clark and restructure a few others as well to get under the cap at the start of the offseason.

That said...

I'm getting kind of greedy, but I almost want Rodgers to run it back another year because the last last dance would not go as well as the first try and it would bury their cap hole even further.

If they let Adams walk and trade Rodgers a lot of their cap decisions are easy and it's a one year cap clearing job where they are well positioned to tank. They would have a bounty of picks including a probable top 3 pick in 2023, comp picks, and whatever else they get in a Rodgers trade. And they'd have tons of free cap room.

Plus if they run it back for 2022 maybe the Bears can be the ones to put the final nail in the Rodgers-Packers dynasty coffin.

[dplank]

Cap guru - remind me what the cap impacts are if they trade Rodgers vs keep him vs cut him?

[o-pus #40 in B major]

Most presume he is. He has decent leverage to hold out for a trade or just retire.

The big issue for the Packers is they will start in about a $45m cap hole and that's with Adams as a FA. With a franchise tag north of $19M, it makes a Adams franchise tag basically impossible unless they cut Rodgers or he agrees to an extension/restructure to lower his cap hit.

They'd probably have to cut both Smith's and Clark and restructure a few others as well to get under the cap at the start of the offseason.

That said...

I'm getting kind of greedy, but I almost want Rodgers to run it back another year because the last last dance would not go as well as the first try and it would bury their cap hole even further.

If they let Adams walk and trade Rodgers a lot of their cap decisions are easy and it's a one year cap clearing job where they are well positioned to tank. They would have a bounty of picks including a probable top 3 pick in 2023, comp picks, and whatever else they get in a Rodgers trade. And they'd have tons of free cap room.

Plus if they run it back for 2022 maybe the Bears can be the ones to put the final nail in the Rodgers-Packers dynasty coffin.

Yes, please let him stay there.

[The Cooler King]

Cap guru - remind me what the cap impacts are if they trade Rodgers vs keep him vs cut him?

Keep is tough to say without knowing what type of extension he might get. A Packers cap guru I follow has consistently come up with about a $14M "savings" on an extension, but that's so hard to know as he's using estimate on contract amount/guarantees/structure.

I suppose they could do a straight restructure with no new years or new money and defer 13.25. The big caveat there is I don't know if Rodgers has "automatic conversion" language and I wouldnt be surprised if he negotiated out that during the last renegotiation he did. Without auto conversion language they need a player's approval for a restructure. After all, he's wanted leverage this whole time. So I'm assuming that's off the table.

They can keep his contract as is, but they can't accommodate an Adams franchise tag and Rodgers current deal. And they'd have to make some other cuts and let every other significant FA walk.

Trade or cut is the same. 26.8M in dead cap and 19.9M in 2022 savings. Post June 1 they could defer an extra 7.6M to 2023. It should be noted though a post June 1 trade actually has to happen after June 1. A cut they can do right away and designate as post June 1 afterwards. So I think a post June 1 trade is very unlikely.

[The Marshall Plan]

As much as I want to say yes he's done I'm taking the Slasher Movie approach.

Michael Myers isn't dead unless his body is quartered with one piece going into the sun, another at the bottom of the ocean, etc.

Both halves of this equation, Rodgers and Green Bay, are so pathetic that they need each other to survive.

Imagine Rodgers not getting the officiating benefit of being in Green Bay.

Imagine Green Bay not getting the officiating benefit of having Rodgers.

What is Rodgers going to do with the rest of his life? Guest Host Jeopardy? Guest Editor at Man Bun Quarterly?

He isn't Smoking Jay Cutler who easily developed a great life outside of football. I don't think Cutler misses the NFL at all. But if you take the NFL away from Rodgers he'll melt into nothing.

[The Marshall Plan]

I will say this....

Say Rodgers does leave Green Bay for wherever including retirement.

I'm fully expecting a Bleacher Report article sometime in August about how "The Pack Are Back" under the leadership of Jordan Love and they're the favorite to win the division.

[wulfy]

I want him gone from the North and the NFC.

[dplank]

Once Rodgers is gone I fully expect the ref thing to end. They wanted the Pack in the SB for the last 30 years to promote their stars in the big games. Brady vs Rodgers is league gold. Mahomes vs Rodgers too, the league badly wanted those matchups. They may still get Brady vs Mahomes.

People have started catching on as well, so they’ll back off and let them lose for a while and restart the program next time they land a star QB to fawn over.

Like you, I don’t believe Rodgers will leave GB. My guess, given all his bad press, is he structures a deal that saves the team a lot of money and insists they keep Adams with that cash and avoid a rebuild.

[The Cooler King]

Once Rodgers is gone I fully expect the ref thing to end. They wanted the Pack in the SB for the last 30 years to promote their stars in the big games. Brady vs Rodgers is league gold. Mahomes vs Rodgers too, the league badly wanted those matchups. They may still get Brady vs Mahomes.

People have started catching on as well, so they’ll back off and let them lose for a while and restart the program next time they land a star QB to fawn over.

Like you, I don’t believe Rodgers will leave GB. My guess, given all his bad press, is he structures a deal that saves the team a lot of money and insists they keep Adams with that cash and avoid a rebuild.

Thing is if Adams doesn't want in (even with Rodgers). They are stuck with a franchise tag which tends to not go over great. Even more so if the QB held the keys to allow it to happen. Wow, great thing I got my money, hope you enjoy risking injury on a one year deal. Oof.

So it's a real package deal scenario. However even if they collude to stay together, I still kind of want to see them run off that cliff leveraged to the max and then fail. And I think that's a real possibility. I mean last year Rodgers basically held out to make them trade for Cobb. He's a bad GM

[dplank]

Maybe he will go to a team that values special teams?

[Grizzled]

They'd have to offer a multi-year contract to push the massive cap hit down the road if he doesn't insist on a trade. But they have Adams who's a free agent, is he wedded to GB? Several other key guys to re-sign also. Already projected $40M over the cap next year before the new league year even starts.

[Mikefive]

Rodgers doesn't play well in freezing temps as we all saw this weekend. With Davante Adams not coming back, Rodgers is going to be looking to move to a warm or indoor environment with a playoff team. I am struggling to imagine Rodgers staying in GB without 17 there.

[IotaNet]

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see him end up in Denver.

[The Cooler King]

Wouldn't be at all surprised to see him end up in Denver.

What's gonna be interesting is to see if he can leverage his way into naming his landing spot.

I think the very least it's a "Im retiring if I'm not traded here, here, or here" situation, but I wonder if he really has the resolve to just straight up name a destination or retire.

[spudbear]

What is Rodgers going to do with the rest of his life? Guest Host Jeopardy? Guest Editor at Man Bun Quarterly?

He isn't Smoking Jay Cutler who easily developed a great life outside of football. I don't think Cutler misses the NFL at all. But if you take the NFL away from Rodgers he'll melt into nothing.

I'm sure Erin has a plan in place for life after football. Prior to 2021 he had developed a fairly profitable "brand" but that got washed away with the immunization incident. He's apparently still OK for commercials though. I could see him head up a game show besides Jeopardy. Doubt he melts away.

Cutler started to develop a great life outside of football but it seemed to slip out his hands. No need to feel sorry for him as he has his millions to comfort him.

[dplank]

I hate this, but he’d be an obvious huge announcer like Romo is

[crueltyabc]

My new theory is that Aaron tries to keep the gang together and the discourse over the off-season centers on pressuring the defensive players into signing team friendly extensions. We will all vomit as they’re portrayed as greedy and Aaron talks about “why don’t they want to win”

[HurricaneBear]

I hate this, but he’d be an obvious huge announcer like Romo is

Unfortunately I agree with this. And unlike Romo whom I never hated, I will not watch something with prick Rodgers. So I truly hope he does not go this route.

Aaron is following the path of his "mentor" and being a selfish diva who will hold the Packers hostage until he gets his way, whether thats in Green Bay or elsewhere.

[wab]

I could see Rodgers going to Carolina or Denver. Two teams with veteran rosters that are really just a QB away from being championship caliber.

[Boris13c]

sports talk blabbering on the east coast still keeps mentioning Rodgers to the Steelers, which would be a good fit if it happens ... and get him the hell out of the NFC North

and now si has a mention of it :

https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/aa ... h-steelers

[Z Bear]

All of that talk is based on the Pat McAfee show. Pat is from Pittsburgh, as is most of his crew, and they constantly mention Pittsburgh when they interview him every Tuesday. AA Ron did say he admires Tomlin as a coach and said he would like to play for him.

[Ormazd]

I hate this, but he’d be an obvious huge announcer like Romo is

I'm not sure. He is such a huge gaping asshole that he can't hide that unlikable personality.

One thing I am sure of is he won't make any quick decision about his future. Remember when Rachel Nichols camped in front of Favre's house for months breathlessly awaiting his next move? Expect to see attention whore diva redux drag on for a long while.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

Rogers is done in Green Bay. His hold out last off-season, and his outward dislike for Lafleur were just glossed over when the season started. He's going to leave Green Bay for a team with a better shot at the playoffs in 2022. A team with a better cap situation, and a HC he thinks he can work with. Oh, and one that will pay him more than he's actually worth.

[IotaNet]

sports talk blabbering on the east coast still keeps mentioning Rodgers to the Steelers, which would be a good fit if it happens ... and get him the hell out of the NFC North

and now si has a mention of it :

https://www.si.com/nfl/steelers/news/aa ... h-steelers

That would be a good fit, assuming that he and Tomlin don't clash.

Rodgers has a bit of a prickly/spoiled personality -- he doesn't appear to like being told what to do. Tomlin is the unquestioned alpha in Pittsburgh and while he does a great job of managing oddball personalities (see Antonio Brown), some of AAron's shenanigans would not be tolerated there.

[Moriarty]

It feels a lot of the time like it's just me, but I'm really not that interested in whether Rodgers stays or goes.


I'm just interested in the Bears organization pulling its head out of its ass and doing things the right way and competently.


After they clear that hurdle someday, then maybe I'll worry about the competition.

[dplank]

[Xee]

That seems like a pleasant person to be around. I really hope that was his house and not one of his friends. Dude needs to control his temper tantrums.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

lovely stuff

Jim Mora’s grandson?

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

I REALLY want Rodgers to stay in Green Bay because I want to see him come up against the Bears with a competent HC and Fields with a decent O-line.

I want to take ownership back before we send him on his way.

[wab]

That seems like a pleasant person to be around. I really hope that was his house and not one of his friends. Dude needs to control his temper tantrums.

Yeah...if you are THAT emotionally influenced by the outcome of a sportsball game, you might need to reevaluate things. I've thrown my hat on the floor in frustration, but that's a whole different level of anger.