The Financial Component of Aaron Rodgers’ Future
K. Joudry
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Aaron Rodgers’ future will be the subject of no shortage of debate, speculation, and hand-wringing in the coming weeks to months.
Recently, Rodgers suggested that his decision wouldn’t drag out. His rationale is that he wants to ensure Davante Adams (among others) has info about what he’ll do before making their own decision. Rodgers’ decision will obviously impact where players want to play, just as it will also impact Green Bay’s salary cap.
Over the Cap offered some interesting perspective on the situation. The article begins by outlining how GB’s finances are a bit of a mess: “Once Green Bay makes their futures signings official this week they will project to be about $48.5 million over the 2022 salary cap and about $52 million over once you factor in rookie contracts. It’s the second worst salary cap position in the NFL.”
A future that involves Aaron Rodgers in a different uniform won’t solve all of Green Bay’s financial woes: “Rodgers has a $46.8 million cap charge in 2022, the second highest cap number in the NFL. The cost to move Rodgers off the team is substantial- $26.847 million- and that number is the same whether he is cut or traded. In both scenarios the Packers will only open up $19.95 million in cap room. So moving Rodgers is not the miracle path to salary cap heaven the way many think.”
Jason Fitzgerald does a great job of laying out the various solutions GB’s management may pursue. He then goes on to address what they’ll do with Adams: “Beyond Rodgers the team has plenty of decisions to make. Receiver Davante Adams is a free agent. At a minimum it will cost $20.12 million to tag him which just adds to the salary cap bill. Adams will be 30 next season. Trading franchise tagged players is never easy but they would be foolish to not tag him and let him just walk away when they could get a high draft pick for him.”
Readers looking for further discussion of Rodgers, Adams, and several other talented, well-compensated Packers can check out the piece on Over the Cap. Regardless of what they decide, it’s hard to envision them having more talent for the 2022 season than the 2021 season.
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