Report: Aaron Rodgers Did Not Opt Out Before Friday’s Deadline

Bill Huber of SI.com reports that Packers QB Aaron Rodgers did not opt-out of the 2021 season before Friday’s deadline.

NFL players had until today to take the COVID-19 opt-out for this season. However, recent reports had said that Rodgers was unlikely to go this route, even in the midst of his ongoing standoff with Green Bay.

Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap explained that if Rodgers had opted out, his cap charge would drop from $36.702 million to $6.8 million, savings the Packers $29.902 million. Beyond that, Rodgers’ contract would have tolled.

Rodgers has skipped OTAs and minicamp up to this point and it remains to be seen whether he’ll report on time for training camp. 

The Packers have maintained that they have no intention of trading Rodgers and they expect him to be their quarterback in 2021 and beyond. 

Green Bay has reportedly offered Rodgers a contract extension. However, the details of their offer aren’t known and it’s possible that a contract alone wouldn’t change much from Rodgers’ end, as there could still be questions about his future with the team. 

Rodgers, 37, 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 base salaries of $15,050,000 and $25 million over the next two years of the agreement.

In 2020, Rodgers appeared in all 16 games for the Packers and completed 70.7 percent of his passes for 4,299 yards, 48 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also rushed for 149 yards and three touchdowns.

We’ll have more regarding Rodgers and the Packers as the news is available.