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

[MrTPlush]

I really am trying to see both sides of this issue. And I do think the Packers could have at least had a courtesy conversation with Rodgers ahead of the 2020 draft that they were considering going QB. But I don't think they owed him a new contract because he won MVP.

 

I'm not sure they knew they were going to draft Love until 10 minutes before they drafted him.

 

That isn't what he said though. He is simply pointing out the fact the Packers knew they were willing to draft a QB in the first round before hand. You don't just decide, hey, lets trade up and draft a QB. You had to have had quite a few conversations over a period of time prior to the draft to be willing to trade up for a QB like that.

 

I am guessing the 15 or so drafts prior basically any QB in the entire draft could have fallen to their first (or even second) pick and they wouldn't have drafted them.

[homer]

I really am trying to see both sides of this issue. And I do think the Packers could have at least had a courtesy conversation with Rodgers ahead of the 2020 draft that they were considering going QB. But I don't think they owed him a new contract because he won MVP.

 

I'm not sure they knew they were going to draft Love until 10 minutes before they drafted him.

 

That isn't what he said though. He is simply pointing out the fact the Packers knew they were willing to draft a QB in the first round before hand. You don't just decide, hey, lets trade up and draft a QB. You had to have had quite a few conversations over a period of time prior to the draft to be willing to trade up for a QB like that.

 

I am guessing the 15 or so drafts prior basically any QB in the entire draft could have fallen to their first (or even second) pick and they wouldn't have drafted them.

 

But they also had a bunch of conversations about trading up to get Aiyuk or Jefferson.

[areacodes]

I really am trying to see both sides of this issue. And I do think the Packers could have at least had a courtesy conversation with Rodgers ahead of the 2020 draft that they were considering going QB. But I don't think they owed him a new contract because he won MVP.

 

I'm not sure they knew they were going to draft Love until 10 minutes before they drafted him.

 

That isn't what he said though. He is simply pointing out the fact the Packers knew they were willing to draft a QB in the first round before hand. You don't just decide, hey, lets trade up and draft a QB. You had to have had quite a few conversations over a period of time prior to the draft to be willing to trade up for a QB like that.

 

I am guessing the 15 or so drafts prior basically any QB in the entire draft could have fallen to their first (or even second) pick and they wouldn't have drafted them.

 

With what we know about Rodgers, I have a feeling he would have used them having a conversation about potentially drafting a QB in the first round as an insult as well. It’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation for the Packers in my opinion.

[MrTPlush]

With what we know about Rodgers, I have a feeling he would have used them having a conversation about potentially drafting a QB in the first round as an insult as well. It’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation for the Packers in my opinion.

 

Maybe, maybe not. Wouldn't have hurt anything to do so. If anything they could have had real conversations about expectations of why they drafted him etc. instead of Rodgers having to guess or read rumors through the media. I don't think the Packers communication was that great before or after the pick. The "Oh Rodgers is our QB" is kind of garbage, especially if that talk through the media was the main source of communication between parties. The whole attitude of expecting Rodgers to just show up and do his job while sweeping any Love talk under the carpet is a pretty dumb way to go about it, especially knowing Rodger's personality. Not sure about anyone else, but communication and being up front about something usually goes a long way. To me it seems the Packers didn't really care to do that. Instead they waited for it to boil over.

 

And before anyone jumps on me, yes, I realize no one really know what went down and what they may have talked about regarding Love after the fact. I am just going off of what some of the rumors have been and what it appears in like in my mind.

[tmwiese55]

I'd probably add to it that it doesn't' necessarily have to be a convo to say hey we might draft a QB. But an overall discussion regarding Rodgers and his future with the team. What he's thinking, plans for the future, where the contract is at, and how to come up with a plan for the next X amount of years, etc. In there the topic of should we draft a QB if we like one would likely come up. This type of conversation goes on with all kinds of employees in the world (not necessarily the draft replacement aspect, but the other aspects). Personally, I'd guess if they had that convo I think they'd have walked away knowing they didn't need a QB yet and they wouldn't be in this spot.

 

Also, I think everyone should try to remember when ripping on him for not honoring contract, you signed it live with it type talk is that NFL teams don't honor the contracts either since they're not guaranteed. And with what GB did, in Rodgers head it was clear GB was definitely considering not honoring the contract.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I am guessing the 15 or so drafts prior basically any QB in the entire draft could have fallen to their first (or even second) pick and they wouldn't have drafted them.

 

Brian Brohm was the Packers' 2nd round pick the same year the Packers gave Rodgers the keys to the franchise and were in the process of jettisoning Favre. The front office at the time went out and drafted a QB high in the event Rodgers fell on his face at the start of his playing career. I can see some parallels with getting Love in the building towards the end of ARod's career - especially considering what his level of play was leading up to last year's draft. With any uncertainty at the QB position, the right move is to go out and find talent at that position when the perceived value is there and if you view your roster as being playoff caliber. GK saw firsthand under TT's tenure how Packer seasons were cratered by having nothing in the QB room outside of Rodgers when he had those collarbone injuries, so it's not surprising he was looking to get more talent at that position - because heading into the 2020 draft it was barren behind ARod.

 

Based on Rodgers' production in 2018 and 2019, his age and his building injury history - coupled with the uncertainty if there would even be a 2020 NFL football season due to COVID at the time of last year's draft - makes for an awful lot of reasons to find a successor or at least have a viable option that would be ready to start in ~2021 or 2022 had Rodgers continued on-field decline in performance. As to how communication was managed with Rodgers before that draft, the Packers were looking to move up to go after a 1st round WR and weren't able to find a deal to get their targets (which I'm pretty sure Rodgers was aware of) - if Love truly was really high on their board I can see why there wouldn't be a discussion with Rodgers about picking him in the 20s before draft night...same way like there wasn't a reason for TT to talk with Favre on potentially drafting Rodgers if he dropped into the 20s years ago.

 

And I agree with areacodes - Rodgers persona IMO would have him feeling insulted if the GM talked with him a few days ahead of the draft to state if our initial hopes of trading up for a 1st round WR don't work, we'll pick Love around that same area if he's still available. Speculating about trying to have a proactive conversation with Rodgers on where he's at mentally, how his contract looks, anything along those lines would just come off the same way in Rodgers' mind..."we've seen your level of play decline and you're on the wrong side of 35 - we are at the point where getting a succession plan at the QB position goes from an afterthought to a priority". ARod would've enjoyed that just as much if not worse than not getting a text 45 seconds before the Love pick was announced on draft night.

[Fear The Chorizo]

This type of conversation goes on with all kinds of employees in the world (not necessarily the draft replacement aspect, but the other aspects)

 

No it doesn't - that type of conversation about replacing an employee gets made when they are approaching a promotion or approaching the typical retirement age that they tend to control as an individual. A HOF level QB doesn't have anywhere else to climb up within their current organization, particularly when there's mounting evidence of a decline in ability/production (based on 2018-2019 seasons). If a company feels like an employee isn't performing to the standards they are compensated for, they get fired or laid off and the feel-good convo about how much they've meant to the organization takes place after the fact.

[tmwiese55]

They're supposed to have exit interviews with all the players every year. I don't think it would be that weird at all. It's not like you frame it as, "your 28 td 3 int (or whatever it was) is bad so we might want to move on." You frame it as your the leader of the team, HOF icon, how do you want things to go here to finish your career, what are you thinking at this point of your career, what do we need to do, how can we get a title, hows your body feeling, how long you planning on playing, etc. These are normal things to talk about that should be easy to talk about with good communications. Which i'm sure his stubbornness isn't the easiest to communicate with though either.

[PeaveyFury]

They're supposed to have exit interviews with all the players every year. I don't think it would be that weird at all. It's not like you frame it as, "your 28 td 3 int (or whatever it was) is bad so we might want to move on." You frame it as your the leader of the team, HOF icon, how do you want things to go here to finish your career, what are you thinking at this point of your career, what do we need to do, how can we get a title, hows your body feeling, how long you planning on playing, etc. These are normal things to talk about that should be easy to talk about with good communications. Which i'm sure his stubbornness isn't the easiest to communicate with though either.

 

And you know for a fact those topics weren't discussed?

[tmwiese55]

They're supposed to have exit interviews with all the players every year. I don't think it would be that weird at all. It's not like you frame it as, "your 28 td 3 int (or whatever it was) is bad so we might want to move on." You frame it as your the leader of the team, HOF icon, how do you want things to go here to finish your career, what are you thinking at this point of your career, what do we need to do, how can we get a title, hows your body feeling, how long you planning on playing, etc. These are normal things to talk about that should be easy to talk about with good communications. Which i'm sure his stubbornness isn't the easiest to communicate with though either.

 

And you know for a fact those topics weren't discussed?

 

No, and I don't think I claimed to know for sure. Nor do you know the contrary. We're on a message board after all, should we shut down all discussion or speculation even though that's what the boards are for? But, if it were discussed and they still drafted a QB knowing his contract only had 2 years left, well, I think even you could see how that might not sit well with Rodgers. And/or if they had that discussion and they did come off more negative than the way I thought the convo should go, how that would lead him to think they planned on moving on from him. thus, here we are.

[PeaveyFury]

They're supposed to have exit interviews with all the players every year. I don't think it would be that weird at all. It's not like you frame it as, "your 28 td 3 int (or whatever it was) is bad so we might want to move on." You frame it as your the leader of the team, HOF icon, how do you want things to go here to finish your career, what are you thinking at this point of your career, what do we need to do, how can we get a title, hows your body feeling, how long you planning on playing, etc. These are normal things to talk about that should be easy to talk about with good communications. Which i'm sure his stubbornness isn't the easiest to communicate with though either.

 

And you know for a fact those topics weren't discussed?

 

No, and I don't think I claimed to know for sure. Nor do you know the contrary. We're on a message board after all. But, if it were discussed and they still drafted a QB, well, I think even you could see how that might not sit well with Rodgers.

 

Sure. And I've made it perfectly clear that if I was in Gute's shoes, I wouldn't care to tell him. I'm actually a little disappointed in him for expressing regret. You do your job, Aaron should do his. Or, retire, as is the one thing he has a right to do as an alternative. Then, he can interview for front office jobs if he's so interested in having a say in player personnel.

[homer]

This type of conversation goes on with all kinds of employees in the world (not necessarily the draft replacement aspect, but the other aspects)

 

No it doesn't - that type of conversation about replacing an employee gets made when they are approaching a promotion or approaching the typical retirement age that they tend to control as an individual. A HOF level QB doesn't have anywhere else to climb up within their current organization, particularly when there's mounting evidence of a decline in ability/production (based on 2018-2019 seasons). If a company feels like an employee isn't performing to the standards they are compensated for, they get fired or laid off and the feel-good convo about how much they've meant to the organization takes place after the fact.

 

No company that gives a rip about employee satisfaction is going to hire a replacement before getting rid of the problem employee.

[tmwiese55]

This type of conversation goes on with all kinds of employees in the world (not necessarily the draft replacement aspect, but the other aspects)

 

No it doesn't - that type of conversation about replacing an employee gets made when they are approaching a promotion or approaching the typical retirement age that they tend to control as an individual. A HOF level QB doesn't have anywhere else to climb up within their current organization, particularly when there's mounting evidence of a decline in ability/production (based on 2018-2019 seasons). If a company feels like an employee isn't performing to the standards they are compensated for, they get fired or laid off and the feel-good convo about how much they've meant to the organization takes place after the fact.

 

I'd beg to differ. First, if you're viewing at as Rodgers as an underachieving employee you're looking to move on from. Yes, those convos always happen in performance reviews, actions plans for improvement, etc. But again, yea if GB was looking at Rodgers this way I think most should realize why he would not be happy with them then. Especially with all he's done for them.

 

But I wasn't talking about in that negative of a sense. I was looking at as a more yearly review, state of the union, career progression, type talks that any good company should be having with employees, especially long term good employees like he's been. You shouldn't just ignore these folks, you should be having proactive talks with them to make sure their career is going in a way they're happy with so they don't all of a sudden take a new job and leave you hanging.

 

Another situation which you actually said is approaching retirement age, that's exactly where Roodgers is. You're getting close, what's the plan or what are you thinking should be a common thing to discuss with employees like that.

[GreatNWwi]

This type of conversation goes on with all kinds of employees in the world (not necessarily the draft replacement aspect, but the other aspects)

 

No it doesn't - that type of conversation about replacing an employee gets made when they are approaching a promotion or approaching the typical retirement age that they tend to control as an individual. A HOF level QB doesn't have anywhere else to climb up within their current organization, particularly when there's mounting evidence of a decline in ability/production (based on 2018-2019 seasons). If a company feels like an employee isn't performing to the standards they are compensated for, they get fired or laid off and the feel-good convo about how much they've meant to the organization takes place after the fact.

 

No company that gives a rip about employee satisfaction is going to hire a replacement before getting rid of the problem employee.

 

With the exception of sports where they hope every draft pick and free agent signing is a replacement for someone on the team. Including Love who has now displaced Tim Boyle.

 

Having said that, do more players retire from sports or get cut and then retire?

[Sixtofan]

.

No company that gives a rip about employee satisfaction is going to hire a replacement before getting rid of the problem employee.

 

 

That is completely untrue, particularly for high level or specialized positions.

[reillymcshane]

How company's operate is all over the board. To say it is done this way or that was simply is wrong or being overly simplistic.

 

Every company is unique. Every company has different challenges, goals, issues, etc., etc. And even within a company, the practices are different depending on the job and the person and the specific situation.

 

It just varies wildly from place-to-place and situation-to-situation.

[reillymcshane]

This type of conversation goes on with all kinds of employees in the world (not necessarily the draft replacement aspect, but the other aspects)

 

No it doesn't - that type of conversation about replacing an employee gets made when they are approaching a promotion or approaching the typical retirement age that they tend to control as an individual. A HOF level QB doesn't have anywhere else to climb up within their current organization, particularly when there's mounting evidence of a decline in ability/production (based on 2018-2019 seasons). If a company feels like an employee isn't performing to the standards they are compensated for, they get fired or laid off and the feel-good convo about how much they've meant to the organization takes place after the fact.

 

No company that gives a rip about employee satisfaction is going to hire a replacement before getting rid of the problem employee.

 

With the exception of sports where they hope every draft pick and free agent signing is a replacement for someone on the team. Including Love who has now displaced Tim Boyle.

 

Having said that, do more players retire from sports or get cut and then retire?

 

Considering the average NFL career lasts something 2.5 years, I'm guessing most players are cut or not offered contracts. Most would love to continue playing. Few will make that kind of money ever again.

[SomewhereInTime]

I would guess over 95% of players across the major sports get cut or are not offered a contract, compared to actually retiring.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Given Aaron's sensibility, I can understand not having the QB draft conversation with him especially if you thought your first 4 or 5 non-QB options would be available. Suddenly you're taking a QB you didn't really think you would, and oops, you never told Aaron. There's a risk in telling someone that sensitive that you might draft a QB, and it's probably not one worth taking if you're pretty sure it won't happen.

 

Then it did. It's like telling your kid he's not getting a shot at the doctor because you're 90% sure he isn't, then you get there and he's overdue for one.

[PeaveyFury]

Given Aaron's sensibility, I can understand not having the QB draft conversation with him especially if you thought your first 4 or 5 non-QB options would be available. Suddenly you're taking a QB you didn't really think you would, and oops, you never told Aaron. There's a risk in telling someone that sensitive that you might draft a QB, and it's probably not one worth taking if you're pretty sure it won't happen.

 

Then it did. It's like telling your kid he's not getting a shot at the doctor because you're 90% sure he isn't, then you get there and he's overdue for one.

 

This sums up my view/opinion on this pretty well.

[adambr2]

I would do what I felt was the right thing and just control what you can control without worrying about how Aaron will feel about it. I feel it's the right thing to have a transparent conversation with Aaron ahead of time just out of respect. If he vehemently objects or you don't take one and his feelings are hurt because of it, that is not something you can control and I would not concern ourselves with that, but at least you did the professional thing.

 

Aaron is 37. He has to know and understand that we do have to plan for the future after his career. If his ego is too fragile to handle that reality, that is out of Gute's control.

[PeaveyFury]

If his ego is too fragile to handle that reality, that is out of Gute's control.

 

I do wonder if some of the regret Gute speaks of is related to the org underestimating the severity of that fragility and/or his willingness to hold grudges.

[LouisEly]

I am guessing the 15 or so drafts prior basically any QB in the entire draft could have fallen to their first (or even second) pick and they wouldn't have drafted them.

Brian Brohm says, "Hello".

 

I don't recall Rodgers getting his undies in a bundle about that pick.

[adambr2]

I am guessing the 15 or so drafts prior basically any QB in the entire draft could have fallen to their first (or even second) pick and they wouldn't have drafted them.

Brian Brohm says, "Hello".

 

I don't recall Rodgers getting his undies in a bundle about that pick.

 

I should hope not, he was still just a kid hoping for a chance to prove himself without a career NFL start to his name at that point.

[MrTPlush]

I am guessing the 15 or so drafts prior basically any QB in the entire draft could have fallen to their first (or even second) pick and they wouldn't have drafted them.

Brian Brohm says, "Hello".

 

I don't recall Rodgers getting his undies in a bundle about that pick.

 

So you are the second person to mention this. "or so" usually means give or take, not literally what I said. If it wasn't obvious enough I was referring to once Rodgers cemented himself as a legit starting QB, I am referring to once Rodgers cemented himself as a legit starter. Obviously once that happened there was zero chance they were wasting a top pick on a QB regardless of the player for over a decade.