Jump to content
Brewer Fanatic

Report: Rodgers wants new contract (Update: May not want to return in 2021)


SeaBass
I have a hard time really hating Rodgers in this situation. If he acted like this last offseason, yah, I’d find it ridiculous. However, after drafting Love he was quiet. He decided to go prove on the field it was a dumb pick. He probably felt disrespected a bit and after proving himself last year I think he found it time to give a bit back.

 

Rodgers was the guy, he is still the guy, and should he for the foreseeable future. Rogers knew that, he proved that, and now he probably wants the contract to confirm he is the guy for years to come. I just can’t blame him for that.

I thought this for about the first 24 hours, but the longer this goes, the less likely it’s all about a contract, in my estimation. If all it takes is a commitment to 12 for the next 3-5 years, I think it would be done by now. I mean, LaFleur seems on the verge of tears when he talks about this—he wants Rodgers, and the situation is eating him up. Why would he be that upset unless there was personal animus on one or both sides threatening to be an insurmountable barrier?

 

Who is to say the contract isn’t a massive barrier? Rodgers is 38, just won an MVP so he likely feels like he has years left in the tank, and just saw 43 year old Tom Brady win it all. I’m guessing Rodgers wants an absolutely mammoth deal and not shockingly the Packers probably don’t like the idea at the cost Rodgers probably wants.

 

The Packers keep saying they are committed long term, but want to sit on a contract that is basically year to year. Rodgers, and arguably rightfully so, is likely looking to get a contract that kills any chance of Love ever taking his spot. This isn’t woefully different from many other players every year. Once you win a Super Bowl, win an MVP, or have a massive year you want the team to commit to you and pay up. That’s just how NFL and the contracts tend to work. Players have threatened to retire, not show up, demand trades, etc all the time. But this is Aaron Rodgers, the Packers, and the media is loving the comp to when he got drafted.

 

Is it all negotiating tactics by Rodgers? Maybe...and maybe a lot of low blows. However, I can’t say the Packers have always treated Rodgers the best.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 1.7k
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Community Moderator
I thought this for about the first 24 hours, but the longer this goes, the less likely it’s all about a contract, in my estimation.

 

Is it actually 'going on,' though? All of this is from unnamed sources. Today is the first business day following the draft, which was almost certainly the SOLE focus of the front office this weekend. I'd argue that there hasn't been a realistic chance for their to be a resolution to any issue at this point....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Community Moderator
However, I can’t say the Packers have always treated Rodgers the best.

 

Name one time prior to this 'situation' (which by extension includes the Love pick, presumably) that the Packers didn't treat Rodgers well? He's basically gotten his way for the past several years, including getting a new coach, causing some personnel decisions like Graham (which, notably, was a horrible move for the Packers). Where is all of this 'mistreatment'?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a hard time really hating Rodgers in this situation. If he acted like this last offseason, yah, I’d find it ridiculous. However, after drafting Love he was quiet. He decided to go prove on the field it was a dumb pick. He probably felt disrespected a bit and after proving himself last year I think he found it time to give a bit back.

 

Rodgers was the guy, he is still the guy, and should be for the foreseeable future. Rogers knew that, he proved that, and now he probably wants the contract to confirm he is the guy for years to come. I just can’t blame him for that.

 

Well said, this is pretty much where I'm at.

What I don't get is that if all players have to do is get mad enough to perform at an elite level then why can't they just play at that elite level every year? Too lazy? Not mad enough? It just seems odd every time an athlete has a great season on a "he had something to prove" situation why doesn't someone ask what the $30M per year actually buys? Just an average performance (for that athlete)? You somehow have to pay extra or get them mad to get that elite performance? Really? That's an adult or a child?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brewer Fanatic Contributor

AJ was with him at the Derby this past weekend.

 

"Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power......He probably has a future as a backup infielder if he can stop rolling over to third base and shortstop." Keith Law, 2006
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought this for about the first 24 hours, but the longer this goes, the less likely it’s all about a contract, in my estimation.

 

Is it actually 'going on,' though? All of this is from unnamed sources. Today is the first business day following the draft, which was almost certainly the SOLE focus of the front office this weekend. I'd argue that there hasn't been a realistic chance for their to be a resolution to any issue at this point....

 

This would be my take, but there is too much smoke here. The Packers have said a lot about this, MLF calling it a disappointing set of circumstances...I think there's some conjecture and gossip, but Rodgers would have thrown cold water on this by now. I think it's safe to say he is at least upset.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brewer Fanatic Contributor
This would be my take, but there is too much smoke here. The Packers have said a lot about this, MLF calling it a disappointing set of circumstances...I think there's some conjecture and gossip, but Rodgers would have thrown cold water on this by now. I think it's safe to say he is at least upset.

 

Both Gute and MLF have publicly admitted there is a riff. But how much of a riff and to what purpose is still up in the air. I'll still hold to this being 90% media and 10% reality. In 1-2 months, there will be a sit-down interview with Rodgers where more will come out. And it most likely will be about contracts and contract negotiations... Welcome to the Art of War.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wouldn't surprise me if right now both sides are trying to figure out how anything that could have led to this type of media angle they've picked up and run with got out to the press, and if that "source" is either employed by the Packers or part of Rodgers' team/inner circle they will promptly be canned or shunned. This doesn't seem like something willfully released by Rodgers' agent or higher ups within the Packers - it seems like something a pee-on booking flights for the front office to visit Rodgers or a contract proofreader latched on to and ran with to a reporter as gossip and it took on a life of its own given the timing around the draft. Not to mention, the reporters and talking heads know just the right timing to get a boatload of clicks for this sort of fodder, and they already started writing with this angle the second after Love was drafted without getting anything official for Rodgers or from the front office a year ago.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

However, I can’t say the Packers have always treated Rodgers the best.

 

Name one time prior to this 'situation' (which by extension includes the Love pick, presumably) that the Packers didn't treat Rodgers well? He's basically gotten his way for the past several years, including getting a new coach, causing some personnel decisions like Graham (which, notably, was a horrible move for the Packers). Where is all of this 'mistreatment'?

 

I didn’t say mistreatment...they just haven’t treated him like some other elite QB have in recent years. Tom Brady pretty much got the team to do whatever he wanted and what does Rodgers see? He watches him win a Super Bowl. Difference is we can be fans for 50+ years, Rodgers has a few years left of his career.

 

I’m not saying everything that has irked Rodgers is something to blame on the franchise...but from his perspective a lot of things the Packers have done sucked in his eyes and I am pretty sure anyone would pretty pretty irritated after all these years. Fans have been frustrated for years, Rodgers is one of the main players to endure it all...is it really shocking he is frustrated just like fans?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fans are idiots though. Is Aaron Rodgers an idiot? Seems more and more like he might be.

 

If this all stems from Jake Kumerow being released, I'll die of laughter and Rodgers truly is a buffoon.

"This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." Think about that for a while.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom Brady pretty much got the team to do whatever he wanted and what does Rodgers see?

 

Look at Brady's last two contract extensions with New England while Garrapolo was on their roster and find where he demanded a massive deal in terms of length and dollars in order to make sure a young QB they drafted never forces him out of town.

 

And pretty much the only way Tampa Bay still has half their core of players that won a super bowl last season is because Brady just signed a contract extension where his 2021 cap number is less than $10M.

 

It would actually do Rodgers a ton of good to take a very hard look at how Brady went about dealing with contractual issues - it allowed him all the chances in the world for the team around him to have cap flexibility to add where needed using all talent acquisition avenues. And he structured his deals in a way where it was palatable for his original team to let him walk and give him every opportunity to pick exactly where he wanted to go and enter on a deal where that new team could maintain its cap flexibility.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brewer Fanatic Contributor
Fans are idiots though. Is Aaron Rodgers an idiot? Seems more and more like he might be.

 

If this all stems from Jake Kumerow being released, I'll die of laughter and Rodgers truly is a buffoon.

 

I don't believe this for a second. If Kumerow had anything to do with it, it's because it was a) the last straw after many other things happened and/or b) they made some promise to him about personnel and didn't keep it.

"Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power......He probably has a future as a backup infielder if he can stop rolling over to third base and shortstop." Keith Law, 2006
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fans are idiots though. Is Aaron Rodgers an idiot? Seems more and more like he might be.

 

If this all stems from Jake Kumerow being released, I'll die of laughter and Rodgers truly is a buffoon.

 

I don't believe this for a second. If Kumerow had anything to do with it, it's because it was a) the last straw after many other things happened and/or b) they made some promise to him about personnel and didn't keep it.

 

At this point people should strongly consider the league/team "sources" that may have started this whole thing worked for The Onion...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only thing about Kumerow that would make sense is that is related to a big part of why this rift exists (or so it seems...who knows really). Rodgers wanted to be more involved or more in the know about roster moves. He publically hyped up Kumerow and then they dumped him a few days later. If he was already irked about that topic and he couldn’t even have say in a bottom of the depth chart receiver I could see where that would make matters worse. I don’t know much about Malik Taylor, but unless the potential seemed that much better it is a bit strange they wouldn't just keep the guy the QB had a better connection with.

 

Though in the Packers defense I feel like Rodgers has hyped a WR up before and they amounted to nothing, but maybe that is just bias memory since Kumerow didn’t do much last year on a different team.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fans are idiots though. Is Aaron Rodgers an idiot? Seems more and more like he might be.

 

If this all stems from Jake Kumerow being released, I'll die of laughter and Rodgers truly is a buffoon.

 

I don't believe this for a second. If Kumerow had anything to do with it, it's because it was a) the last straw after many other things happened and/or b) they made some promise to him about personnel and didn't keep it.

 

At this point people should strongly consider the league/team "sources" that may have started this whole thing worked for The Onion...

Or for the Vikings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rodgers vouched for Kumerow and then he was gone. Rodgers specifically mentioned this, during this past season, when asked if the Packers need to add a WR. Instead of just saying no, I love our guys, Rodgers said it was a great question but the last time he vouched for someone they wound up in Buffalo.

 

Less to do with a sub-par player being released and more to do with the fact that Rodgers liked him and they didn't care. That alone wouldn't do it, but A + B + C + Kumerow = pouty Aaron is a possibility.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rodgers vouched for Kumerow and then he was gone. Rodgers specifically mentioned this, during this past season, when asked if the Packers need to add a WR. Instead of just saying no, I love our guys, Rodgers said it was a great question but the last time he vouched for someone they wound up in Buffalo.

 

Less to do with a sub-par player being released and more to do with the fact that Rodgers liked him and they didn't care. That alone wouldn't do it, but A + B + C + Kumerow = pouty Aaron is a possibility.

If Aaron is upset about Kumerow, might he also be upset his buddy Tim Boyle got let go? Pure speculation but it had been mentioned more than once that they were good friends, now his good friend was let go by the Packers to give his spot to "He Who Should Not Have Been Drafted."

"Counsell is stupid, Hader not used right, Bradley shouldn't have been in the lineup...Brewers win!!" - FVBrewerFan - 6/3/21
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Community Moderator

We should probably start keeping a running list of things that have been 'reported' that have further either proven inaccurate or have been disproven by others:

1)The 49ers called and offered #3, other picks AND players for Rodgers but were declined

2)Rodgers to the Broncos is 'as close to done as possible'

3)Rodgers wants Gute fired

 

Any I'm forgetting at this point?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wouldn't surprise me if right now both sides are trying to figure out how anything that could have led to this type of media angle they've picked up and run with got out to the press, and if that "source" is either employed by the Packers or part of Rodgers' team/inner circle they will promptly be canned or shunned. This doesn't seem like something willfully released by Rodgers' agent or higher ups within the Packers - it seems like something a pee-on booking flights for the front office to visit Rodgers or a contract proofreader latched on to and ran with to a reporter as gossip and it took on a life of its own given the timing around the draft. Not to mention, the reporters and talking heads know just the right timing to get a boatload of clicks for this sort of fodder, and they already started writing with this angle the second after Love was drafted without getting anything official for Rodgers or from the front office a year ago.

 

It was released right before the NFL Draft, and largely overshadowed the largest event of the NFL offseason. Aaron Rodgers has any number of means to go to the press and tell "his side" of the story (if not circumvent the press altogether, and take to Social Media). He didn't (hasn't) said anything, other than the PR non-denial reported to Mike Tirico. If this didn't come from Rodgers' camp, he has all the power in the world to squash the rumor....and he hasn't.

 

IMO, this is coming from his camp. I'm just curious as to how he thinks the prima donna card plays with the decision-makers at Jeopardy (which is a job he very clearly wants).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We should probably start keeping a running list of things that have been 'reported' that have further either proven inaccurate or have been disproven by others:

1)The 49ers called and offered #3, other picks AND players for Rodgers but were declined

2)Rodgers to the Broncos is 'as close to done as possible'

3)Rodgers wants Gute fired

 

Any I'm forgetting at this point?

4) You will die if you burp, fart, and sneeze at the same time.

 

I don’t know if that’s been discussed explicitly in this 24-page thread, but I think it’s important we dispel that rumor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brewer Fanatic Contributor
We should probably start keeping a running list of things that have been 'reported' that have further either proven inaccurate or have been disproven by others:

1)The 49ers called and offered #3, other picks AND players for Rodgers but were declined

2)Rodgers to the Broncos is 'as close to done as possible'

3)Rodgers wants Gute fired

 

Any I'm forgetting at this point?

4) You will die if you burp, fart, and sneeze at the same time.

 

I don’t know if that’s been discussed explicitly in this 24-page thread, but I think it’s important we dispel that rumor.

 

That's what killed my uncle Walter. And then some schlub not named Walter took over his website.

"Dustin Pedroia doesn't have the strength or bat speed to hit major-league pitching consistently, and he has no power......He probably has a future as a backup infielder if he can stop rolling over to third base and shortstop." Keith Law, 2006
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We should probably start keeping a running list of things that have been 'reported' that have further either proven inaccurate or have been disproven by others:

1)The 49ers called and offered #3, other picks AND players for Rodgers but were declined

2)Rodgers to the Broncos is 'as close to done as possible'

3)Rodgers wants Gute fired

 

Any I'm forgetting at this point?

 

4)Jake Kumerow is a WR weapon...btw someone needs to let Buffalo know that as well before they tick off Josh Allen and release him

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4)Jake Kumerow is a WR weapon...btw someone needs to let Buffalo know that as well before they tick off Josh Allen and release him

Do you get released from a Futures/Reserve contract?

 

He spent 21 days on the Saints practice squad between 12/25/20 and January 18, 20201 being waved once, resigned then released before signing a Futures/Reserve contract on January 26, 2021 with the Bills. Why would the Saints even bother with him if they didn't want to bring him to camp? I guess the Saints were trying to appease Rodgers in the hopes he would add them to his trade wish list...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brewer Fanatic Contributor

Less to do with a sub-par player being released and more to do with the fact that Rodgers liked him and they didn't care. That alone wouldn't do it, but A + B + C + Kumerow = pouty Aaron is a possibility.

I think you can add that cutting Kumerow a day after Rodgers praised the guy, might have even felt like a 'screw you, Aaron' decision - done to show who was boss. Was that what the front office was trying to do? Probably not. That just seems really stupid to try and upstage your star player just to prove a point. But people have done dumber things out of spite or jealousy or revenge.

 

I'm not defending any of the people involved - because usually blame can go around to most everyone in situations like this. Just trying to say it's not that Rodgers thought Kumerow was the answer to all his issues - just that he went out on a limb for the guy in the media, and the front office made the move in spite of that.

 

To me, this demonstrates that the two sides aren't talking. I mean, if the most important guy in your company says they value a person, perhaps you should try and understand why. It just seems like a disconnect with both parties - which should not be happening on an NFL team. If that is happening, there's something seriously wrong with stuff and it needs to be addressed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

The Twins Daily Caretaker Fund
The Brewer Fanatic Caretaker Fund

You all care about this site. The next step is caring for it. We’re asking you to caretake this site so it can remain the premier Brewers community on the internet. Included with caretaking is ad-free browsing of Brewer Fanatic.

×
×
  • Create New...