Aaron Rodgers isn’t happy with the Packers.
The 37-year-old quarterback and 2020 NFL MVP award favorite wants a new contract, a source told Mike Florio of NBC Sports.
Rodgers is coming off of a banner year in which he led the Packers to a 13-3 record and the NFC Championship game. He completed a career-high 70.7 percent of his passes for 4,299 yards and 48 touchdowns (also a personal record) to just five interceptions.
The Packers were defeated by the Buccaneers, 31-26, on Sunday, and Rodgers’ cryptic post-game comments left many wondering if his days in Green Bay were over.
“[The Packers have] a lot of guys’ futures that are uncertain — myself included,” he said following the loss. “That’s what’s sad about it, most, getting this far. Obviously, it’s going to be an end at some point, whether we make it past this one or not, but just the uncertainty’s tough and finality of it all.”
Rodgers is under contract through 2023 after inking a four-year, $134 million extension ahead of the 2018 season. He will net $23.22 million in total cash in 2021 and $25.5 million in 2022 and 2023, which puts him behind quarterbacks Tom Brady, Jared Goff, Carson Wentz, Drew Brees, Jimmy Garoppolo and Ryan Tannehill, according to Spotrac.
Rodgers is in a strong bargaining position should he formally request a new contract, in light of his strong 2020 performance and the sheer number of potential quarterback vacancies around the league. A bevy of teams, including the Falcons, Bears, Cowboys, Lions, Saints, Eagles, 49ers, Washington, Broncos, Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Patriots, Jets and Steelers could be in the hunt for new signal-callers this offseason.
Compensation and contract structure are likely not the only grievances for the nine-time Pro Bowler. General manager Brian Gutekunst went all seven rounds without selecting a receiver and traded up in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft to select Jordan Love, Rodgers’ presumptive replacement. Love, 22, was widely regarded as an unfinished product and a reach in the late first round. He sat on the bench and didn’t play a snap all season. Rodgers sat for three seasons before taking over for Brett Favre.
If the Packers do not restructure their current deal, Rodgers would carry a $37.57 million cap hit and $31.56 million dead cap hit in 2021. His dead cap hit would drop to $17.2 million in 2022 and just $2.85 million in 2023, making an exit more plausible.
Rodgers has been with the Packers since he was taken in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. The Cal product has completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 51,245 yards, 412 touchdowns and 89 interceptions through 197 regular-season appearances over 16 years. Throughout his prolific career, he has earned three first-team All-Pro honors, two NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl title, winning the Super Bowl MVP award in 2011.
