NFL Trade Rumors: Keeping Aaron Rodgers in 2022 nearly impossible for Packers under new terms of his deal
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ended his holdout this week, reporting to training camp with new revisions to his current contract,
Rodgers is locked in for the 2021 season, and even has his former wide receiver Randall Cobb back with the team.
While Packers fans rejoiced that they got their reigning NFL MVP back, it seems the 2021 season could be Rodgers' farewell campaign in Green Bay and Lambeau Field. But is there any way the Packers will be able to keep the three-time MVP and Super Bowl champion in Green Bay?
How much would it cost the Green Bay Packers to keep Aaron Rodgers in 2022?
In the newly revised and restructured contract, Aaron Rodgers is due to make $27.6 million instead of the $37.2 million he was supposed to make, meaning the Packers saved $10 million, which they can use toward other signings.
If Aaron Rodgers plays for the Green Bay Packers in 2022, the team will have to pay him $46.14 million. That would end up putting the Packers $50 million over on salary cap space, which isn't possible.
So the Packers have two ways to handle the situation for the 2022 NFL season. The team could either give Aaron Rodgers the trade he so desperately seeks or allow another team to take on that financial responsibility. Or they could hope for the best with Rodgers this season and see if he would restructure again for 2022 to lower their salary cap hit.
Trading Rodgers before the 2022 NFL Draft seems like the best-case scenario for all involved. Rodgers will be able to go to another team, as he wishes. That would also give backup quarterback Jordan Love another year of learning under Rodgers and give him the best opportunity to start come next season. The Packers could then use the trade for additional draft picks to build around Love or for additional veteran players.
As seen so far in this saga, nothing happens that easily, so the 2021 NFL season should be an intriguing one. Rodgers and the Packers were just one game away from a trip to the Super Bowl before they were stopped by Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Will Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers have one last run?