Cheese Curds, 5/9: It’s time for Russ Ball to work his magic on Aaron Rodgers’ contract

With Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan having signed a contract extension with his team, one thing is certain: Aaron Rodgers is going to get a bigger deal (at least on paper) than Ryan did.

However, the final numbers, guaranteed money, and overall structure of the deal are the points that need to be negotiated between Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers’ front office. That’s where Russ Ball comes in.

Although he was in the running for the Packers’ open GM job, that position went to Brian Gutekunst as Ball accepted a tweaked title. Still, Ball is the contract guy and the keeper of the proverbial purse strings. The Packers have tendencies when it comes to structuring their deals, and it appears that the team will be unwilling to waver much if at all from those trends, even despite Kirk Cousins receiving a fully-guaranteed deal from the Vikings this offseason.

The deal is now in Ball’s court, and there is nobody better to hammer out the details than him.

While we await word of Rodgers’ new deal, today’s curds feature an estimate of what it might look like, along with plenty of other news about the Packers and the rest of the NFL.

Emanuel Byrd thankful for his two angels | Packers.com
Byrd, who suited up in one game for the Packers last year, honors his late mother and aunt with tattoos that help him remember the two women who raised him.

Former NFL agent predicts new Aaron Rodgers contract | Packers Wire
The Packers generally don't guarantee base salaries, so that trend is taken into account here. In total, the estimate puts Rodgers at $32 million per year, a bit above Matt Ryan's deal, and it assumes a signing bonus of $52.5 million.

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst gets another opening to fill on scouting staff | Packersnews.com
Alonzo Dotson, who has worked as a college scout in Green Bay for the past five years, is leaving for a job with the New York Jets, in what is likely to be an upward move for him.

Teams whose first-round picks have survived ‘honeymoon phase’ | ESPN
The Packers are one of just three teams who have extended four former first-round picks on the roster and on second or third contracts, as Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, Bryan Bulaga, and Nick Perry all fit that description.

7 college football teams that could be next to dominate NFL draft - NFL.com
NFL fans who watch college football to keep an eye on future prospects should keep an eye on a few specific units this season: Alabama's defense (as always), Clemson's defensive line, and Wisconsin's offensive line.

Mark Ingram suspension: What does 4-game punishment mean for Saints? - SBNation.com
Apparently Ingram, who was part of an excellent tandem with Alvin Kamara last year, has known about the impending suspension for a while. He is also set to be a free agent next season at the age of 29, which will make finding a big deal in free agency next year even tougher.