Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers have reportedly made significant progress toward settling their differences, but the reigning MVP is likely entering his final season with the team.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Rodgers and the Packers are close to an agreement that would bring Rodgers back to the team for one more season. The deal, which Schefter describes as “close,” does not include more money. However, the Packers are tweaking Rodgers’ contract in a way that would assure he can leave Green Bay next year.
Rodgers has three more years remaining on his current deal, but the Packers have agreed to void the final year in 2023. They also have assured him they will not place the franchise tag on him and will “review” his situation after the 2021 season.
By keeping Rodgers under contract through 2022, the Packers will still be able to trade him next offseason if his feelings toward the franchise don’t change.
This has seemed like the most likely outcome for a while. Rodgers obviously wants to play elsewhere, and the Packers traded up in the first round to draft Jordan Love last year. With assurances that Rodgers will be able to leave next offseason, the two sides can chase one more Super Bowl together before parting ways.
The structure of the agreement is very similar to what the New England Patriots did with Tom Brady the year before he left and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One NFL executive recently said Rodgers wants to take the same approach as Brady, so that makes sense.
We knew things were headed in this direction when Rodgers and Davante Adams, who is in the final year of his contract with the Packers, shared the same photo on social media over the weekend. Unless something drastic changes over the course of the next several months, a new era will begin in Green Bay next season.
