Another offseason of Aaron Rodgers speculation is already underway, and on Tuesday the Packers’ quarterback threw another log onto the already burning fire.
During his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers acknowledged that if he is to return to Green Bay his contract will need to be tweaked for things to work out.
Rodgers is due $60 million in 2023, and the Packers are already pushed to the upper limits of the league’s salary cap.
Rodgers’ future was the subject of retirement and trade speculation for much of last season until he agreed to return to Green Bay on a new three-year, $150 million contract he signed in March. That deal still has two years remaining on it.
There are a couple of different ways a contract “shift” could work.
Rodgers could agree to flat-out take a pay cut to reduce the cap number, but that seems unlikely. The more likely outcome would be some sort of restructuring that pushes the salary cap hit into future seasons and continues to kick the can down the road.
The other factor here is whether or not the two sides want a return for another year.
Rodgers still has not committed to playing next season, while there is still the possibility of the Packers deciding to get their cap savings by trading Rodgers and finally turning the position over to Jordan Love.
NFL insider Adam Schefter discussed that possibility on ESPN on Tuesday afternoon.
Even though Rodgers is set to turn 39 and has a massive contract, there would be no shortage of contenders (especially those in the AFC) that would love to take a run with Rodgers as their quarterback for a year. Miami? Tennessee? Las Vegas? The New York Jets? Perhaps Baltimore if things do not work out with Lamar Jackson? Even Washington if Green Bay were willing to send him to an NFC team would have to at least have some interest.
Either way, buckle yourselves in for more speculation over the next few months because it is pretty clear Rodgers’ immediate future is going to dominate much of the NFL’s offseason chatter.
