National Football League

Aaron Rodgers mulling 'long-term' deal with Packers

Published Mar. 7, 2022 3:56 p.m. ET

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The Packers seem to believe that keeping Aaron Rodgers is their best shot at glory.

To that end, Green Bay has made a significant long-term contract offer to Rodgers, one that would "alter the quarterback market," according to a report from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

"Terms of a potential new contract could always change, but a three- or four-year deal would help Green Bay's salary-cap situation while giving Rodgers, 38, contractual clarity well into his 40s," Fowler wrote.

The Packers are currently nearly $30 million over the salary cap, and Rodgers, who has one year left on his contract, would count $46.1 million against the cap next season.

Last week, it was reported that the team and QB were trying to work on a deal that would make Rodgers the highest-paid player in the league. According to ESPN, Packers VP of football operations Russ Ball is negotiating with Rodgers' agent to try to find a way to do that while also trimming the salary cap hit.

Packers to make Aaron Rodgers highest-paid player?

A decision to stay or go might be coming soon from Aaron Rodgers, and the Green Bay Packers are preparing accordingly with a short-term deal for the two-time defending NFL MVP.

If Rodgers were to be traded elsewhere this offseason, the Packers would save between $19.3 million and $26.9 million against the cap.

There have been reports of multiple teams being interested in dealing for Rodgers' services. Most prominent among them has been the Denver Broncos, who hired former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as their head coach this offseason.

According to reports, however, the Packers would require so much in return that it would be difficult to pull off. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said last week that he had yet to receive any trade offers.

Rodgers has previously hinted that he would like to make a decision by Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET franchise tender deadline, when Green Bay must decide whether to use the franchise tag on star receiver Davante Adams.

The Packers will almost certainly use the franchise tag on Adams if a long-term deal isn't completed by then, according to reports, and they want to keep Adams whether Rodgers stays or not.

Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers has a plan

Colin Cowherd lays out why the state of the NFC, plus Aaron Rodgers' behavior, leads him to believe that the MVP QB has a plan, whether he admits it or not.

There has been drama around Rodgers and the Packers ever since the franchise drafted quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 draft. Still, the sides have stayed together throughout. 

They went 13-4 in 2021 and won the NFC North for the third consecutive season. Rodgers was brilliant along the way, boasting a 68.9 completion percentage (third across the NFL), 4,115 passing yards and 37 TDs (fourth in the NFL). He led the NFL in both passer rating (111.9) and TD/INT ratio (9.25) for the second straight season and had 14 games with at least two passing TDs (most in NFL).

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National Football League

Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers

Davante Adams