Green Bay star quarterback did not negotiate a new deal and the team did not save space below the salary cap
GREEN BAY – Los Green Bay Packers they did not alter the contract of Aaron Rodgers last Friday, a source said ESPN and they paid him his $ 6.8 million staffing bonus instead of turning it into a signing bonus, which it would have freed up more than 4.5 million space below the salary cap for this season.
However, they would have pushed that money to future wage caps, thus increasing the impact of Rodgers for 2022 and 2023.
There were doubts about whether the Packers they had paid the staff bonus or agreed to delay it as part of a restructuring or negotiations for an extension.
“It was paid on Friday as scheduled,” the source said.
It’s a sign that maybe the Packers they don’t want to have more dead money than they would already have if they went on without their three-time NFL Most Valuable Player quarterback after this season.
When asked if a restructuring or extension was still being prepared, the source, who is familiar with the plans of the Packers, He said “possibly.”
Rodgers speculate openly about their future in Green Bay after losing the NFC Championship Game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January.
Shortly afterwards, the general manager of the Packers, Brian Gutekunst, made it look like Rodgers would be in his plans not only for 2021 but also beyond.
However, when Gutekunst was asked if he felt the need to reassure Rodgers on this – verbally or with an adjustment in his contract – the general manager replied: “I don’t think he has to do much to calm down – because I think obviously his game speaks for itself.”
However, Gutekunst recruited in the draft to the possible eventual replacement of Rodgers, Jordan Love, in the first round of last year’s draw. Their contracts are valid in parallel until the 2023 season, although the Packers they would have the option of Love’s fifth year for 2024.
Multiple league sources indicated that they believe that Rodgers wants guarantees that he will be the quarterback of Green Bay beyond the 2021 season and that he won’t be a quarterback on his way out of the team. The team could do this by adjusting their contract without adding a penny. the Packers they could turn a large portion of their base salary of $ 14.7 million into a signing bonus. This would give them extra space below the salary cap this campaign, but it would also increase the amount of money dead with which it would impact against the year cap if they split up.