The Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers saga continues as the team cuts critical players for the 2022 roster.
Ian Rapoport tweeted out on Tuesday morning that the Pack and Rodgers have reached a deal on a new contract.
The contract is a 4-year extension, a complicated one, with two dummy years — placeholders — on the back end. It lowers his cap number and gives GB plenty of room to work. https://t.co/VlnbubjPnw
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2022
The agreement signals that the Packers are all-in on Rodgers for the foreseeable future.
That spells trouble for Jordan Love, who many believed the Packers drafted to replace Rodgers.
The Packers traded a first-round and fourth-round pick to acquire Love in the NFL 2020 Draft.
No Love For Jordan Love
Rodgers made it known he wasn’t happy with the Packers’ move to take Love in 2020.
Bottom Line: Aaron Rodgers defiance with the #Packers is justifying their move to take Jordan Love in 2020 #NFLDraft.
I didn't like it. You all didn't like it. Rodgers doesn't like it. But it protected the organization "in case" certain people went rogue.
— Jeff Mans (@Jeff_Mans) July 26, 2021
But the Packers were thinking of the team’s future when it was time for Rodgers to retire.
Rodgers never saw the drafting of Love that way,
He would have liked the Pack to draft a needed player instead with the pick.
Whether or not he saw Love as a threat to his job as Brett Favre saw Rodgers when he was the teams’ quarterback is up for debate.
What is known is the Packers had other needs for the team that the Pack could have addressed with the pick they used to acquire Love.
Love’s rookie contract expires in 2024.
The Packers would need to take the option on Love’s contract to keep him in 2024.
The Rodgers deal looks to take that option off the table.
Rodgers Deal Gives Packers Room To Work With Adams
The Rodgers deal with Green Bay is enormous.
From @GMFB: The Aaron Rodgers contract numbers are in. What did we learn? The #Packers QB committed to at least two seasons, maybe more, and he'll earn $62M per year over the first two new years. $50M per year over the first three. Big money. pic.twitter.com/X7NlB4wcgz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2022
Green Bay can now offload some of the money of Rodgers’ contract towards the end of his deal.
That allows Green Bay to save money for 2022 and use it as they see fit.
Everyone would like for Green Bay to use that money to sign a long-term deal with Davante Adams.
Adams is Green Bay’s star receiver and favorite target of Rodgers.
Green Bay used their franchise tag on Adams to keep him there for 2022.
Adams has told sources that he won’t play on the franchise tag and is looking for a long-term deal between the two.
Green Bay now has the money to reach this long-term deal that Adams desires.
Packers Have Other Issues To Deal With Going Forward
With the Rodgers situation done, and cap space to work on Adams’ contract, Packers fans might believe the worst is over for them.
The problem is, this isn’t true for the Packers.
The team has released tackle Billy Turner and linebacker Za’Darius Smith.
The release of Turner was unusual as he played a role in protecting Rodgers in 2021.
The Smith release has some clarity as he suffered a season-end injury in 2021.
THANK YOU ZA’DARIUS SMITH 🙏🏽
Packers release “Big Z” after 3 years with the team. He produced 26 sacks over his 3 (two healthy seasons) in Green Bay
The Smith Bros are No More #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/fwQe6dKYZS
— IKE Packers Podcast (@IKE_Packers) March 14, 2022
The release of these two players means the Packers will have holes to fill this offseason.
Who the Packers get will be the vital part of their playoff run in 2022.
With free agency here, the Packers can pursue someone on the market.
They can draft players to replace Smith and Turner if they want to go the value route.
Rodgers will want the Packers to get the best players, as he wants to win one more Super Bowl.
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