In one of the more obvious nuggets of sports news, Packers’ president and CEO Mark Murphy expressed a team interest in quarterback Aaron Rodgers returning for another season in the monthly column Murphy uses to answer fan questions. 
“(Head coach) Matt (LaFleur), (general manager) Brian (Gutekunst), executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball and I are all in agreement that we want Aaron to come back,” Murphy wrote.
Despite some internal disputes and Rodgers’ misleading statements about his vaccination status, the 38-year-old is in line to potentially win his 4th MVP award, his second consecutively. He helped lead Green Bay to their second-straight first-round bye in the playoffs, though they did fall short of the Super Bowl for the second-straight year as a one-seed. So while the Packers can easily express their interest in his return, there are quite a few hurdles between that and re-signing him.
It started about 9 months ago when things gradually bubbled over during a long-term contract negotiation between the Packers and Rodgers. Rodgers had reportedly been unhappy during the proceedings and became so disgruntled that he told members of the organization that he didn’t want to return to the team. This frustration continued throughout an offseason that saw loads of trade speculation, including a report that Rodgers was under the impression that the Packers had promised to trade him before reneging on their deal. The offseason also contained a Rodgers hold-out that ended with a deal that some saw as a “Last Dance” contract that would help set up his departure after the season ended.
After a tumultuous offseason, came Rodgers’ issues with COVID-19. While the team, and reportedly the league, knew about Rodgers’ vaccination status, his positive COVID-19 test led to an investigation of the Packers’ mishandling of protocols.
Immediately after the season ended, Rodgers made it clear that he has no interest in staying in Green Bay if he doesn’t think the team can win in 2022. The veteran-QB told ESPN, “I don’t want to be part of a rebuild if I’m going to keep playing.” A big part of that will rely on the return of two-time All-Pro receiver Davante Adams. Adams is set for quite the payday following a contract year that saw him rank second in the NFL in catches (123), third in receiving yards (1,553), and fifth in receiving touchdowns (11).
Another point that could factor into Rodgers’ decision is the shuffled offensive staff. Former-offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett is now the head coach of the Broncos and quarterbacks coach/passing-game coordinator Luke Getsy is the new offensive coordinator in Chicago. While Green Bay did promote a familiar face in offensive line coach/running-game coordinator Adam Stenavich, Rodgers is still without his QB coach and offensive coordinator of the last three seasons.
Lastly, and potentially most important in the list of things that undermine Murphy’s claim, is the Packers’ cap situation. Even if they can convince Rodgers to return to Wisconsin, the Packers are currently expected to be about $45MM over the cap, not including the hits from a tagged or re-signed Adams. In order to bring back both Adams and Rodgers, the team would likely have to part ways with a number of cap-heavy players.
Regardless, the Packers can cross the declaration off their list. It was the first thing they needed to do on a laundry list of tasks to bring Rodgers back. They can now move on in their pursuit and get to work on building a team that Aaron Rodgers thinks can win a Super Bowl, convincing him to return, and somehow paying for it all.
And water is WET…
Oddly written article.
Also, duh.
It’s time to move on for both sides.
♫ They say that breaking up is hard to do
Now I know
I know that it’s true
Don’t say that this is the end
Instead of breaking up I wish that we were making up again ♫
Lol.. did anybody think Jordan love was going to be a decent starting QB? Lol. Terrible pick. Of course they want Aaron back. The Packers are realizing that the roster is bad and they will be irrelevant once Aaron is gone.
If you took away all QBs, they might still have the best roster in the division. Not that that’s saying much.
By the time they get done trimming to get under the cap, not sure that argument holds water.
When the competition is Goff, Fields and Cousins….yeah…it’s gonna hold water.
The argument was IF YOU TOOK AWAY ALL QBs, GB might still have the best roster in the division.
Reading is FUN DA MENTAL
Cutting Za’darius saves like $28 million, getting under the cap isn’t as hard as it sounds
I believe keeping him is the $28 million hit. Cutting him I think *saves* $15 million.
Their cap space says otherwise
really? wouldn’t have figured!
Probably won’t happen but with Brady gone and Rodgers likely to leave Green Bay, I’d love to see him take a huge pay cut and just chase some rings.
Like imagine him going to either the Saints, Steelers, 49ers or Buccs.
He has 1 ring and 3 MVPs currently and last year played amazing. Imagine if he finished with say 3 rings and 4 MVPs. Would make him an undoubted top 4 QB with Brady Montana and Manning.
One problem with your stupid idea. GB would NEVER trade him within the conference. That eliminates 3 of your dream teams. Use your head.
Was more or less thinking what whatever team he plays on next season it’ll be the last year of his deal with.
At which point he can hit FA and then choose whichever team he wants and sign or as low as he wants in order to join a stacked team and win some rings
So you think a team would trade for him without a contract extension? That’s not gonna happen either Even if it did, he gets tagged.
I never mentioned traded. I was saying it would be cool to see happen.
And he always wants to get paid. Money is a huge factor for him. He’s never taken a pay cut.
Considering he’s now 38, and he’s the all time 4th highest earner in league history he can settle for less.
I think for him he would rather have a legacy of multiple rings and playing winning football than get an extra 50mil or whatever.
Logic and Aaron Rodgers have nothing to do with one another.
Not sure how going to the Saints would be chasing rings. They currently have no coach and are the only team in the league to have an even worse cap situation than the Packers. Plus they’d have to give up something to get Rodgers, presumably multiple firsts since their first this year is 18th overall. Saints should do a complete rebuild, imo, not sell the farm for a desperate chance to compete.
Rodgers would probably be a better player if Davante Adams wasn’t on the squad. His fixation on trying to throw to him on every play was a disservice to other players and to the overall offensive scheme.
Who likely would they have to cut to bring him and Adams back?
Names I’ve read about most include: both Smiths, Billy Turner, Crosby and Cobb. Any or all could be on their way out. Seems there was a couple others as well but I can’t recall at the moment.
And that was basically to get under the cap, not create enough space to bring Adams back at more than $20 mil/year.
And Rodgers contract (among others) would have to be restructured somehow to reduce the cap figure, which I believe is something like $46 million.
Crosby is the only one of that group that they may try and retain. Turner is quite bad, and Preston had a disappointing slump before this year. Z’Darius would be nice to keep, but the money is too much for a guy who missed significant time. Green Bay’s pass rush will likely take a hit, but the Smiths did not profile as long term solutions at that price.
You don’t say?
Burrow MVP
About time to move on from that underachieving lying sob…..
Yeah, this seems like a logical, unbiased take.
Rodgers to the Raiders for Carr, 1st round, two second round, and a 3rd round in the future.
Adams then follows him to LV (either this year, or next year if he gets tagged).
He gets financial benefit from Nevada tax laws, gets to play in a new beautiful dome and have his name plastered all over Vegas, and has solid weapons all around him already in place on a team that went 10-7.