The dominant storyline of the offseason in the NFL has been whether Aaron Rodgers will return to Green Bay for another season with the Packers after making it clear that he wanted out due to a variety of decisions made by the organization, including using a 2020 first round pick on quarterback Jordan Love instead of some immediate help for Rodgers.
That decision seemed to kick Rodgers into gear, as he put forth an MVP winning season as Green Bay fell just short of the Super Bowl, losing to the eventual champion Buccaneers in the NFC title game. Since that point, Rodgers has threatened to walk away from football entirely (taking his turn at hosting Jeopardy! at one point this year) and has been steadfast in his desire to leave. With top receiver Davante Adams likewise shutting down future contract talks out of loyalty to Rodgers, the Packers faced a crisis as camp approached, but it seems a detente is on its way.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN and Ian Rapaport of NFL Network, Rodgers and the Packers are nearing a deal that will bring him back to Green Bay this season, with the Packers making it easier for Rodgers to leave after next season if he doesn’t feel they have made the necessary changes to give him the support around him he wants.
The new agreement, once finalized, would help set up Aaron Rodgers’ departure from Green Bay after this season, per sources. https://t.co/NojVojcHjy
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 26, 2021
The reworked deal for Aaron Rodgers includes him having a say in his future in 2022 and 2023. https://t.co/EkQi7dZTXE
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 26, 2021
According to Schefter, the new agreement would void the 2023 year in his contract while also including a provision that the Packers will promise to “review Rodgers’ situation at the end of this season,” allowing for a greater trade possibility if they can’t agree on their long term future. It appears like this deal will get done and Green Bay will get at least one more year to chase a second championship with Rodgers at the helm before potentially having to kickstart a rebuild around Love. For Rodgers, he gets the future flexibility sooner rather than later to find a better situation in the coming years if Green Bay takes a step back and his holdout seemed to produce the leverage hoped for in getting these concessions from the Packers.