Aaron Rodgers deserves a commitment from the Packers beyond 2021

The Green Bay Packers have been trying to restructure Aaron Rodgers’ contract but the quarterback wants a commitment from the team beyond 2021. 

Aaron Rodgers is coming off an MVP-winning season in which the Green Bay Packers made it to their second-straight NFC Championship Game and came up short again. And despite his somewhat concerning postgame comments about his future following that loss, Rodgers is set to be the starter among the Cheeseheads for the 2021 NFL season.

However, the Packers are trying to build a roster that can get Rodgers and the team over the hump and into the Super Bowl. Yet, especially after re-signing Aaron Jones, the team has been strapped against the salary cap. One solution to free up some money, though, was to restructure Rodgers’ contract, specifically converting his roster bonus to a signing bonus.

That didn’t happen, though, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. Rodgers’ roster bonus was paid out as scheduled. However, the Packers could still free up money by restructuring his base salary into a signing bonus. But before that happens, the quarterback reportedly wants a commitment beyond the 2021 season so that he won’t be a “lame-duck” next year.

While restructuring his contract would help Green Bay, it’s hard not to ascertain where Rodgers is coming from. The franchise traded up in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft to select quarterback Jordan Love and put the doubts in their veteran superstar’s mind. And as a player looking out for himself, how could the team imagine him making any kind of sacrifice (albeit a small one) if there’s no long-term security?

Aaron Rodgers owes the Packers nothing if they’re not willing to commit.

This isn’t a player at the end of his career trying to scrape by and get another ring. Yes, that’s obviously something Aaron Rodgers wants as he has just one Super Bowl win to his credit. But he’s also only in his late 30s when quarterbacks are playing into their 40s consistently now, especially those at his level, and he was the MVP last season.

Rodgers simply doesn’t owe the Packers the willingness to renegotiate his contract when the team has clearly been disrespecting him. Rather than addressing pressing needs at wide receiver, they drafted his perceived replacement. Moreover, they let his center, Corey Linsley, walk in free agency in order to retain Jones. That helps, but possibly not as much as Linsley would’ve.

If Green Bay wants their quarterback to rework his deal, they are the ones who owe him something. They owe him the commitment to be the starter until his contract runs out. He’s given them no reason to not do that on the field and anything else should indeed be perceived as a slight or, dare I say it, slightly underhanded.

In the end, it would be wise of the Packers to commit to Aaron Rodgers. Not only would they make their best player happy, they would then be able to work out his contract and make more moves. Furthermore, they would be committing to the quarterback capable of winning a Super Bowl once they make those moves.