Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers pencil in deadline for decision on future
Aaron Rodgers has a rough deadline to decide on his future, according to Green Packers President Mark Murphy.
Rodgers said he would take four days to contemplate his future while on a “darkness retreat.” Murphy said there was no hard deadline for Rodgers and the team to come to some sort of agreement.
However, it’s basically the sooner the better, as he revealed Thursday night during the NFL Honors.
“There hasn’t been a deadline,” Murphy said, via ESPN’s Dianna Russini. “The sooner the decision is made, the better. Gutekunst has been in contact with him. Aaron has expressed that he doesn’t want to drag it … (We’re hoping) around free agency.”
Rodgers’ career is up in the air whether he goes back to the Packers or elsewhere. Heck, he could walk away from football entirely.
But Rodgers made headlines during a PGA Tour Pro-Am tournament when he shared he was not going to the San Francisco 49ers.
Amid Tom Brady’s retirement, Rodgers was the next logical option for the 49ers. However, he won’t be headed out west based on the latest comments from the quarterback.
Rodgers finished the 2022 season with 3,695 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His 12 interceptions were the most since his first full season as a starter in 2008.
“Do I still think I can play?” Rodgers said of his future. “Of course. Of course. Can I play at a high level? Yeah, the highest. I think I can win MVP again, in the right situation.”
He led the Packers to a 9-8 record but the team did not make the playoffs after losing the final game of the season to the Detroit Lions.
“I mean, it’s not an impossibility,” NFL Inisider Ian Rapoport said of Rodgers’ future including a trade. “Here’s the thing about Rodgers being traded, because of the way his contract is structured, a trade is possible. It’s like you can do it financially. You can come up with the compensation. I think Green Bay likes what they have in Jordan Love. So like, if they got the right package, I think they could do a deal. It would be $60 million for one season, somebody would pay him. That is what he’s on the books for cash next year.
“Let’s say you’re the Jets, let’s say the Jets are gonna go all in and we’re trading for Aaron Rodgers. You’re going to be trading for a quarterback you’re giving up a first rounder for, I’m sure, probably more. And pay $60 million, which would be by far the highest paid quarterback. So you could do it but that is an astronomical amount.”