Reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers is so disgruntled with the Green Bay Packers that he has told some within the organization that he does not want to return to the team, league and team sources told ESPN on Thursday.
#Packers GM Brian Gutekunst to ESPN: "As we've stated since the season ended, we are committed to Aaron in 2021 and beyond. Aaron has been a vital part of our success and we look forward to competing for another championship with him leading our team."
Originally Posted by : Aaron Rodgers doesn't want to return to Green Bay Packers, sources say
Reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers is so disgruntled with the Green Bay Packers that he has told some within the organization that he does not want to return to the team, league and team sources told ESPN on Thursday.
The Packers are aware of his feelings, concerned about them and have had team president Mark Murphy, general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur each fly out on separate trips to meet with Rodgers at various points this offseason, sources told ESPN.
"As we've stated since the season ended, we are committed to Aaron in 2021 and beyond," Gutekunst told ESPN. "Aaron has been a vital part of our success and we look forward to competing for another championship with him leading our team."
Rodgers has not budged this offseason, but neither have the Packers, who have made it known they are not interested in trading Rodgers anywhere.
The San Francisco 49ers called the Packers on Wednesday night, a source told ESPN, and the Los Angeles Rams inquired about Rodgers in January before they traded for Matthew Stafford.
The Packers quickly dismissed the Rams' overtures, the source said.
The Packers have offered to extend Rodgers' contract, sources told ESPN.
Rodgers is unhappy for a variety of reasons, with some of it dating back to last year's draft when the Packers didn't inform him before trading up to draft a quarterback with their first-round pick. Some took this as a sign that his days in Green Bay could he numbered.
He also is at a different point in his personal life, having recently gotten engaged to actress Shailene Woodley. Rodgers also has hosted "Jeopardy!" and said it would be a dream to become the full-time host. He could play football and host Jeopardy! together.
Rodgers has made cryptic comments about his future in Green Bay, but he has told others that he does not want to return.
On draft night, the Packers' biggest issue isn't who they land, but whether they can keep the former NFL MVP.
Rodgers' contract contained a $6.8 million roster bonus due in March. It could have been converted into a signing bonus that would have freed up more than $4.5 million in salary-cap space for this season but instead it "vested as scheduled," a source told ESPN at the time. It's listed as an automatic conversion in Rodgers' contract but even that has to be signed off on by both parties. It's not known if the Packers tried to convert and Rodgers refused to sign off on it, or if they did not attempt a conversion.
Originally Posted by Shields68:
This some what ignores that if he is forcing his way out of Green Bay and will have essentially a 1 year deal after this season. So any team that he does not want to go to is not going to make a very high offer. I mean your not giving up a package of multiple 1's for 1 year. The only way you get top dollar for Rogers is if he is happy going to the new team and willing to sign a 2-3 year extension after the trade.
And this somewhat ignores that Washington and Miami are good situations.
Why would Rodgers refuse to go to a team like Washington or Miami?
Their rosters are every bit as good, and they don’t have Mahomes in the division. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
Rodgers has willed a poor Packers team to the championship game over and over and over again.
Lamar Jackson isn’t beating him. And what I’ve seen from Josh Allen? Yeah he won’t either
When the Packers were actually a 'poor' team they only went to 2 conference championship games after the 2010 Super Bowl. Once McCarthey and Thompson were told to GTFO the Packers have been run more than competently. [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
And this somewhat ignores that Washington and Miami are good situations.
Why would Rodgers refuse to go to a team like Washington or Miami?
Their rosters are every bit as good, and they don’t have Mahomes in the division.
Not saying he would. Just saying that in all these cases where a guy forces his way out it seems the player still has a lot of control. Teams are not going to trade for a unhappy player. To me the only reason to choose Denver is non football related. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Shields68:
Not saying he would. Just saying that in all these cases where a guy forces his way out it seems the player still has a lot of control. Teams are not going to trade for a unhappy player. To me the only reason to choose Denver is non football related.
Rodgers doesn’t have much more leverage than he had this year. The Packers don’t even have to trade him. [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
And the Packers aren’t going to just allow him to choose where he wants to go. They’ll consider it, but they are going to look for the best offer they can get.
We don't know the terms Rodgers and Green Bay agreed to and it's not in Green Bay's best interest to let those conditions out publicly. It isn't unreasonable to assume that Rodgers said he'd come back if they let him walk after the season, and Green Bay said that they'd let him pick his team, but they couldn't risk letting him become an UFA and joining the Vikings, Lions, or Bears.
Green Bay gets:
An end to the distraction
Rodgers for 1 more year
An opportunity to convince Rodgers to stick around over the next 6 months
Some control over where Rodgers goes
The ability to get modest draft compensation in return
Rodgers gets:
Control of his future
The ability to play for a team who won't be depleted of all assets during his last few years in the NFL.
Originally Posted by staylor26:
Sutton is coming off a seriously injury, Jeudy hasn’t proven much, and neither has Fant.
Much of the hype in regards to the Broncos roster is based on projection. Many of these guys, in particular on offense, have not proven themselves.
Well, 2019 was Sutton's second season... had a decent rookie year, but even with Flacco and Lock (and Allen for 3 games) he had a strong year 2. Unfortunately, injury derailed him in 2020.
In 2020, Fant/Jeudy/Patrick/Hamler/ Hamilton/Albert O were crazy young and inexperienced so not having Sutton really hurt them. I'm not going to cast stones at Jeudy right now seeing as how he was coming into games without a veteran to take pressure off.
Add a healthy Sutton to the mix, along with Javonte Williams and Gordon at RB... you have tremendous opportunities with that group of receivers.
I believe the OL is getting better and they have to improve. The OL and QB play are the two areas that will dictate whether or not the other weapons can be a consistent threat.
Drew Lock should be on a short leash... maybe he loses his grip on the starting role and Teddy takes over. I don't care which leads the team at this point.
Gordon / J Williams
Sutton / Jeudy / Hamler / Patrick
Fant / Albert O
I like that group of playmakers. Again, I don't think 10 wins in 17 games is jumping the shark or being unrealistic. They're not going to the playoffs, but all I'm interested in at this point is consistent improvement. They only scored 21+ points six times last season - that has to change.
Defensively, I think they're going to be strong and they're gonna have their work cut out for them with the offenses they play. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
PFF has Green Bay's OL rated as #2 in the league last year...
(Yes, I know Bakhtiari was injured late last year, but implying that their OL was trash is ludicrous.)
Yeah, Green Bay's interior made KC's look bush league last year. When we found a scrub that was 70 rating we got excited. Green Bay had better guys on their OL bench. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RunKC:
Against the 49ers Rodgers got sacked 3X and was running for his life. His defense gave up 285 rushing yards and 37 points.
Jimmy Garappolo threw 8 passes that game for 77 yards :-)
The 49ers had a legendary pass rush in 2019. They made our OL look terrible too, even though it was 10x better than the one we had in last years SB. What is your point? [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
Fant is considered “one of the better TEs in the league” because of projection and the fact that there aren’t many proven studs outside of the top 5 or so. He’s not a proven stud by any means.
Sutton is proven, but coming off a serious injury, he has to prove that he can get back on track. He only has 1 great year, so there’s no telling how he bounces back. He’s also a free agent after this year.
Not even projection. He had similar production to that next tier of TEs after Kelce and Waller like Hockenson, Mark Andrews, Gesicki, etc. while having the worst QB situation. He's clearly pretty good. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ThaVirus:
Not even projection. He had similar production to that next tier of TEs after Kelce and Waller like Hockenson, Mark Andrews, Gesicki, etc. while having the worst QB situation. He's clearly pretty good.
He’s not better than any of those guys, except for maybe Gesicki who along with Tonyan, Fant, and a few others make up tier 3.
Tier 1:
Kelce
Waller
Kittle
Tier 2:
Andrews
Hockenson
Tier 3:
Fant
Gesicki
Tonyan
J. Smith
Goedert
He’s a good TE, but he’s not even a for sure significant upgrade from Tonyan, who people ignore when talking about Rodgers current group of weapons. I’m not trying to down him though because he could easily enter that 2nd tier this year. [Reply]
Originally Posted by staylor26:
Rodgers doesn’t have much more leverage than he had this year. The Packers don’t even have to trade him.
I think that the fewer years you have on your contract the more leverage you have. If the reports are correct that Green Bay agreed to void 2023 and agreed to not franchise tag him, then it seems like they probably have a hand shake promise that if he still wants out they will deal him at the end of the year.
I do not see Green Bay voiding a year unless it was a act of good faith on a promise to move him if he still wants out at the end of the year. I also do not see them letting Rogers become a FA after voiding the 2023 year) and not get anything really in return for him. [Reply]
