A report Monday indicated the Packers are working on a restructure of Aaron Rodgers’ contract. The Packers easily could have reworked the quarterback’s deal last Friday if they had wanted.
Rob Demovsky of ESPN said the team paid Rodgers’ $6.8 million roster bonus as is rather than converting it into a signing bonus. Converting the money into a signing bonus would have given the Packers more than $4.5 million in salary-cap space for 2021.
That, however, would have pushed that money to future caps, increasing Rodgers’ cap number for 2022 and 2023. That, in turn, would have increased the amount of dead money the Packers would have had to pay Rodgers if the decide to trade the three-time MVP after this season.
Demovsky had a source tell him the team “possibly” still could do a restructure or extension of Rodgers’ contract.
Rodgers won the MVP award last season after the Packers traded up to select quarterback Jordan Love in the first round. But Rodgers’ play didn’t quiet speculation about his future in Green Bay.
Rodgers even seems to have questions about what the team’s plans are at the position with Love unlikely to sit more than another year before the Packers will have to make a decision about playing him or trading him.
What the Packers decide to do about Rodgers’ contract will provide more clarity on just what their intentions are.