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With NFL free agency now in full swing, we are now at the stage where the Green Bay Packers could make a move.
Before that however, there remains the elephant in the room: Aaron Rodgers’ contract situation.
Many assumed the clock was ticking on Rodgers’ time in Green Bay when they moved up to draft Jordan Love in the first round last April. Then Rodgers exploded for a record season and won his third league MVP trophy while leading the Packers to a second straight NFC Championship appearance.
Once the season wrapped up, Rodgers appeared to want an extension that would keep him in Green Bay beyond 2023. That would force the team’s hand on what to do with Love sooner rather than later.
With a reduced salary cap for 2021, a restructuring of Rodgers’ current deal seems like a no-brainer. What happens beyond that will be very telling. If they don’t extend his deal, 2021 could very well be the last season we see number 12 in a Packers uniform.
With Rodgers due a $6.5 million roster bonus at 3 pm central today, it seems decision day has arrived. The Packers could of course restructure now and extend later but we could see at least some reports on what Green Bay’s intentions are for their franchise quarterback.
This writer’s take? As someone who initially liked the Love pick, I say extend Rodgers’ contract and hope Love puts enough on tape in the preseason he can get Garoppolo’d by the Packers.
Four takeaways from Packers’ opening days of free agency—PackersNews.com (subscription)
Everyone is focused on Rodgers’ contract right now but the big surprise was the Packers actually kept Preston Smith. Many had him as a primary candidate to be released but he is instead back on a reduced salary.
Contract shows Aaron Jones really has a two-year run left with Packers—ESPN
After some were initially flabbergasted the Packers were paying Aaron Jones $48 million over four years, the contract is basically a two-year deal because there’s no way the Packers will pay him almost $20 million in 2023.
A look back on Tramon Williams’ Packers career (video)—Packers.com
The team website has a wonderful tribute to Tramon Williams. His performance in the run to Super Bowl XLV was really remarkable and remains underrated even today.
New Bears QB Andy Dalton: ‘They told me I was the starter’—NFL.com
We now pause cheese curds for a hearty dose of laughter.
Pilot Named Badlands McNally Arrested For Having Over 100lbs Of Meth On Plane—Busted Coverage
There’s a lot to unpack here but we will just settle for the joke that his dad, Rand McNally, must really be all over the map in terms of his emotions.