The Green Bay Packers are currently working with MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers to restructure his contract. Rodgers currently has the highest cap hit in their entire NFL this season. He also has a potential out after this season. While restructuring the MVP would have been wise while the Packers could have actually spent the money on top players in NFL Free Agency, it is a move that must be done.
Aaron Rodgers Contract
While Aaron Rodgers was the league MVP and the Packers clearly go as far as Rodgers can take them, his cap hit in 2021 in nauseating. The Aaron Rodgers contract has a cap hit of $37,572,000 this season, which is $5.5 million more than the next player (Russell Wilson). In other words, Rodgers’ contract makes up over 20% of the Packers cap space this season. Compared to a player like Tom Brady, who has a cap hit of $9 million, it’s clear which strategy to winning a Super Bowl is more successful.
Aside from this year, Rodgers has a potential out after this season, then two more years left on his current contract. Not only could a restructure lower his cap hit for this season, it could give Rodgers stability and Packers fans insight in to how the front office views Rodgers’ future in Green Bay.
Packers Cap Space
In case you haven’t heard the Packers mentioned much in free agency, it’s because they have done nothing. Sure, Green Bay re-signed Aaron Jones, which was met with differing opinions, but they have not brought in any outside free agents.
Since the Packers have essentially only free up money so far, they have a projected salary cap of $3.8 million currently, per Spotrac. This ranks No. 22 in the NFL in cap space.
Why Restructure the Aaron Rodgers Contract?
There are many reasons why this move has to get done and should have been completed a couple weeks ago. First, there have been zero positive reports over a full calendar year, essentially, about Jordan Love. Yes, extending Rodgers multiple years could make the front office feel like drafting Love was a mistake, which it was. Still, unless “All You Need is Love” is your favorite Beatles song, you need to keep the MVP in town and make Rodgers feel like the organization actually wants him.
The other massive reason to restructure this deal is so the Packers can actually make a free agency move. But again, the timing of this move is so unbelievably frustrating, since Green Bay has already missed out on the top-tier free agents. Still, there’s players available that can help the team, and the Packers actually need to make moves to improve said team, despite what they have shown recently.
Additionally, the Packers want to extend Davante Adams, and rightfully so. He is the best receiver in the NFL. It would be nice to extend both Adams and Rodgers together, locking in their stay for years to come.
While, yes, Rodgers could take a Brady-like contract and give the Packers the ability to actually compete for a Super Bowl, he is the most talented quarterback in the league and he deserves to be paid like it. No matter what this restructured contract looks like, something clearly needs to take place.
