Report: Rodgers’ Decision Coming ‘Soon’ (Whatever That Means)

“We’ve got a really good football team. This is the MVP of the league and he makes this whole thing go,” GM Brian Gutekunst said of Aaron Rodgers on Wednesday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will decide his NFL future “soon,” according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini.

What that means is anyone’s guess.

Rodgers has said as much. He used the word “soon” twice during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show at the end of the season. When he was back on McAfee on Tuesday, Rodgers again said he wouldn’t take much longer to decide.

“There’s conversations to be had and a few more things to contemplate but it won’t be long,” he said. “I’m not going to hold anybody hostage in this, I’m not going to do that. Obviously, I want to feel certain about it and, when I do, I’ll make a decision and we’ll just move on and move forward.”

Given Green Bay’s salary-cap woes and list of free agents, there is a sense of urgency, which Rodgers has addressed a number of times in recognizing that this can't be a repeat of last year, when he didn't decide to return to the team until just before training camp. The two-week window to use the franchise tag on receiver Davante Adams opened on Tuesday. Moreover, the Packers must be in compliance with the salary cap on March 16.

Figuring out the path to the cap will start with Rodgers and whether he’s traded or extended. Not surprisingly, Russini said there are “multiple teams with offers on the table” for Rodgers. The Packers could get a lot back in return.

“I think obviously everything around here kind of centers on the quarterback,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said on Wednesday. “It’s a big piece and a domino that kind of has to fall before we go down the other avenues. So, it’s important as we go through this and the puzzle pieces we have to try to make fit. That’s the first one to go.”

Rodgers’ cap number for the 2022 season, his final year under contract, is a lofty $46.664 million. An extension would create badly needed space and ensure he doesn’t walk next offseason.

“That’s certainly something we would like to do,” Gutekunst said.

Releasing him or trading him would save $19.817 million.

Rodgers’ decision presumably is linked to the Packers’ plans with receiver Davante Adams. And then everything goes from there. How much money will be left to re-sign All-Pro linebacker De’Vondre Campbell? Breakout cornerback Rasul Douglas? Tight end Robert Tonyan? Bring in additional players?

So, a lot is riding on Rodgers, but Gutekunst wasn’t going to pressure Rodgers to decide ASAP. No doubt the team has plans set for either scenario.

“Obviously, he’s going through his process,” Gutekunst said. “I think the one thing that I know for sure is Aaron takes this stuff very seriously. His performance and what he brings to our football team on so many different levels, he puts a lot into that. And he knows how much work it takes during the offseason to prepare himself to give to our team what he does. So, I think he’s going through his process right now to get himself ready to make sure he knows that he wants to do that because I don’t think it’s easy what he does to prepare for a season.”

After the season, coach Matt LaFleur said he wants Rodgers back until he retires. Team President Mark Murphy also said he hoped Rodgers, whom he called the “unquestioned leader of our team,” would return.

Gutekunst echoed that on Wednesday.

“We’ve got a really good football team. This is the MVP of the league and he makes this whole thing go,” he said. “We’re disappointed that we didn’t finish it off the last two years but there’s no reason to think we can’t get right back there and knock on the door and get there. So yeah, I think we’re full forward ahead.”