Will Aaron Rodgers really retire rather than play for the Packers again?
As Aaron Rodgers tries to push the envelope with the Green Bay Packers, would he really retire rather than play for them again?
Aaron Rodgers has been masterful at being passive aggressive and calculated, from critique of former head coach Mike McCarthy’s stagnant offense to calling his future a “beautiful mystery” after the NFC title game loss to the Buccaneers.
As the start of the draft approached on Thursday, reports of the 49ers making a trade offer for Rodgers was followed by his wish list of teams he’d like to be traded to. Meanwhile, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst remains dug in on not trading him as the situation is apparently being worked through.
From Rodgers’ end, he surely wants a contract extension representative of his value that secures his future in Green Bay and renders 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love irrelevant. The Packers seem committed to going year-to-year for the final three years of his contract, and new deal talks haven’t come together. It’s no accident reports bringing Rodgers’ discontent came on Day 1 of the draft, roughly one year after the Packers traded up and drafted Love to replace him. Nothing he does is done thoughtlessly.
Rodgers has been open about his desire to host Jeopardy, should he be wanted for the full-time job replacing Alex Trebek after his run as a guest host. What’s been less clear, at least before the last couple days, is what he wants for his football future.
Rodgers would apparently seriously consider retiring if his situation with the Packers isn’t “repaired to his liking.” A trade still seems possible, though it’s more palatable cap-wise for the Packers after June 1. After June 1, Green Bay would take on $14.352 million in dead money this year rather than a $31.55 million cap charge by trading him before June 1. The remainder, according to Over The Cap, would be spread mostly into 2022.
It would cost Rodgers $23 million in signing bonus payback if he retired and remained retired in 2022. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network pointed to Rodgers’ agent David Dunn, who helped Carson Palmer get out of Cincinnati in 2011. On Oct. 18, 2011, Palmer finally got his way with a trade to the Raiders. The Bengals got two first-round picks in the deal.
Would Rodgers be willing to extend things that long? Would he not show up and remain steadfast he’ll never play for the Packers again, in the hopes he’ll eventually gets traded? It’s not out of the question. The leverage the Packers have would be depleted quickly come Week 1, when they’d have to start Love in a meaningful game.
The Rodgers/Packers stare-down has now gone public. The team definitely doesn’t love that, since they had previously managed the “piss him off, but not enough that he wants out” balance quite well.
Rodgers is expected to attend the Kentucky Derby this weekend. So hopefully someone gets a microphone in front of him, and he take the opportunity to speak candidly about his situation. Yes that’s wishful thinking, especially when he’ll never say “I won’t play for the Green Bay Packers again, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that’s the case.”