When it comes to the Aaron Rodgers situation in Green Bay, there’s plenty of blame to go around. One person who should bear none of it is coach Matt LaFleur.
But LaFleur finds himself in the middle of the mess. On Tuesday, LaFleur took questions from reporters regarding the decision of Rodgers to skip the mandatory minicamp.
“I think any time you’re talking about any player on your football team, you’d love everybody to be here,” LaFleur said when he was asked to address his disappointment level given Rodgers’ no-show.
LaFleur also was asked whether he’s talked recently with Rodgers, and whether the third-year coach has optimism that things will work out.
“I"m not gonna get into my conversations with Aaron and the communication,” LaFleur said. “I think, you know, I’m naturally optimistic. But, you know, again, we’ll take it day by day and do whatever we can to help remedy the situation.”
The Packers say they want to remedy the situation. It’s still not clear what it would take to do so. Rodgers reportedly wants G.M. Brian Gutekunst to be fired, and that report has never been rebutted. Surely, the Packers won’t do that.
So what will it take? They’ve offered Rodgers a new contract, supposedly a contract that would make him the highest-paid player in the game. They haven’t, given the absence of any report that they have, offered a contract with the structure that forces them to keep Rodgers for the next three or four seasons, making the investment in quarterback Jordan Love moot.
Maybe it’s too late for a contract that binds the Packers to Rodgers. Maybe Rodgers gave them a fair chance to fix the situation, they didn’t, and now he’s just done. More information will come when he shows up (or doesn’t) for training camp. Until then, a team that has gone to two straight NFC title games and has the reigning league MVP on the payroll finds itself in a delicate and in many ways unprecedented spot. Rodgers isn’t happy, Rodgers isn’t present for a mandatory event, and Rodgers may never show up again.