NEWSLETTER
Even though the days have been running together for me since the end of December, I have an idea we’re nearing the end of January when I see a reports regarding Aaron Rodgers’ future begin surfacing.
And nothing says déjà vu all over again like rumors of a potential Rodgers trade being on the horizon popping up in late January.
Here’s the reporting from ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Schefter’s words have my full attention:
“Both sides are fully aware that a trade is a very real scenario for Aaron Rodgers. The Packers are expected to move on from certain players, which Aaron Rodgers probably will not like. The issue here is the $110 million left on his contract and which team can afford it. But there is a real possibility that at some point this offseason that Aaron Rodgers will be traded.”
For me, it’s not just that the Rodgers trade scuttlebutt is already underway. But it’s that we’re getting those whispers *AND* chatter about other cuts that Green Bay might make. Cuts that Rodgers might not like. Maybe I’m stretching this, but Schefter seems to be alluding to the possibility of Rodgers wanting out if some of these cuts go down. Wouldn’t that be something? The Packers already had tough decisions to make entering this offseason. OverTheCap.com estimates Green Bay to be more than $16 million over the 2023 salary cap projections, which complicates matters this offseason. But it’s not as if a Rodgers trade will make things any easier.
Dealing Rodgers would come with a $66.99 million cap hit *AND* a $99.6 million dead money number. I suppose a trade after June 1 could be more palatable. Per OTC’s notes, a post-June 1 Rodgers trade would create $1.215 million in cap space for the Packers. Sure, it would come with a dead money hit north of $30.4 million. However, that is far easier to swallow than the alternative.
Whatever the case, I’m rooting for the most chaotic ending possible in this situation. Let’s get weird. Heck, let’s get ugly. The Packers have been living the good life for a long time. So, for me, it would be fun to make them squirm this offseason. And the start of that would be a messy offseason full of drama and a trip to salary cap hell.
