Latest On Aaron Rodgers

Jordan Schultz is reporting that “several” teams including the Broncos have reached out to the Packers about QB Aaron Rodgers.

However, Schultz says that Green Bay has shown “zero interest” in discussing Rodgers with interested teams.

On Friday, the Packers officially announced the hiring of Tom Clements as their QBs coach. This is notable considering that Clements was retired and has a long history with Rodgers.

It would seem odd for a coach who has been retired to return if Rodgers wasn’t going to return to the Packers.

Schultz adds that there’s a “growing internal belief” in Green Bay that Rodgers will remain a Packer.

Last week, Ian Rapoport reported that those close to Rodgers say his relationship with the team is as good as it has been in a while, though no one except Rodgers knows exactly what the quarterback will decide regarding his future. 

Rapoport added if Rodgers stays, he’ll need a new contract to lower his cap hit. He says the Packers are willing to make Rodgers the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL on a per-year basis. That bar is set by Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes at $45 million per year. 

The deal would be short, probably just two years per Rapoport, with void years tacked onto the end to prorate whatever signing bonus he receives and lower his figure on the books for 2022. 

Adam Schefter added the traditionally conservative Packers front office is willing to go all-in on 2022 to build the team around Rodgers, including pushing salary into future years like the Saints did with Drew Brees.

Rodgers’ own contract is among those that will need to be addressed. He’s set to have a cap hit of over $46 million in 2022, which is also the final year of his deal. A trade or extension are two ways to lower that. 

Rodgers, 38, is a former first-round pick of the Packers back in 2005. He agreed to a four-year, $134 million extension that includes over $100 million guaranteed in 2018. 

Rodgers is owed a base salary of $25 million in the final year of his deal in 2022, which is set to void seven days before the start of the 2023 league year.

In 2021, Rodgers appeared in 16 games for the Packers and completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 4,115 yards, 37 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has also rushed for 101 yards and three touchdowns.