The Packers' latest off-season dance with Aaron Rodgers has come to an end, and it could be their last.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that Green Bay is putting its money where its mouth is, agreeing with Rodgers, 38, a $200 million four-year extension, which includes $153 million in guaranteed money. The deal makes Rodgers the highest-paid player in NFL history on an annualized basis, while also reducing his salary-cap number for 2022.
The latter detail is particularly important to Green Bay's chances of victory in the upcoming season. Green Bay was almost over the limit of $26 million, and Rodgers' current deal had a cap number of $46.6 million in 2022, making it quite a challenge to retain receiver Davante Adams. Now with Rodgers' new, lower cap number, Green Bay can now put the franchise tag on Adams before 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Packers are expected to do the same, ET's deadline told Rapoport.
Pat McAfee of "The Pat McAfee Show" first reported the Rodgers deal. The QB later confirmed via Twitter that he will "play for the Packers" this upcoming season and is "very excited to be back."
The ripple effect of his deal doesn't end there. An extension means Rodgers has effectively taken his way out of a forced succession plan involving 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love, who will be the same once Brett Favre succeeds. After that, of course, Favre wasn't ready to stop playing, moving to New York and Minneapolis before eventually calling it a career, and it's pretty clear Rodgers isn't going to hang on to him.
Rodgers clearly did not have such an end in mind, spending the last off-season sowing seeds of discontent within the media before fencing with Packers general manager Brian Gutkunst to return for the 2021 season. After a second straight NFL MVP season, Rodgers was about as much leverage as possible, especially as the Packers again fell short of reaching the Super Bowl – losing to the 49ers in the divisional round.
If they wanted to win now, as Gutkunst has said, it had to be with Rodgers. If Rodgers was going to stay, he needed protection — oh, and a pay bump, because everyone loves a raise and two straight MVPs definitely deserve one.
News of the deal put an end to speculation about a potential Rodgers pairing with the Denver Broncos, which turned within hours of Rodgers' decision to acquire Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in a blockbuster trade. It also unlocks the rest of the NFL's grid of teams shopping around for deals involving quarterbacks, freeing up the flow of traffic with free agency in just a few days.
What does this really mean for love? Well, if Rodgers were to complete all four years of his contract, Love would have to be on another contract to be with the Packers. Perhaps Green Bay is now fully committed to winning and extolling the unrequited love for the property. Or, he sticks around and spends his time.
Regardless, Green Bay made its intentions clear with this news: The Packers are going to do everything they can to get over the hump with Rodgers getting in the way. And they're not about to set up another ugly breakup with a franchise legend.