INDIANAPOLIS. When it comes to what’s in store for Aaron Rodgers, the last day in NFL scouting has shed light on two things.
First off, only Rogers seems to know what he’s doing.
Second, Tuesday’s 4:00 pm ET franchise filing deadline for Davante Adams will be a big sign of how committed the Green Bay Packers are to laying the groundwork for Rodgers’ return. Especially if Rodgers didn’t inform the team of his decision by the deadline, which may have shown the quarterback that Green Bay is willing to make a big decision based on hope to keep him before he fulfills his obligation.
Regardless of how it plays out, it’s become clear over the last week that no one has a clear idea of Rogers’ plans. This includes franchises interested in pursuing him if he seeks a trade, executives tasked with drafting trade offers and contract renewals, players affected by Rodgers’ decision, and even some partners who were previously in the quarterback’s circle. By the assessment of this wide range of participants, until Sunday, Rogers showed his inclination to no one. Whether he’s preparing to leave Green Bay, trade elsewhere, or retire that no one seems to be expecting, the two-time reigning league MVP is keeping his process under wraps. So much so that one source deeply interested in the outcome of the decision described their approach ahead of next week as “just let it happen.”
This source is not alone. Indeed, if all prospective franchises had some bottom line, the easiest way to describe it is that neither the Packers nor the Denver Broncos have a clue what Rogers is going to do, and the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers don’t know what to do. . privately stating that they have no trade packages or contract renewals set up to go after Rogers.
Despite the opacity of the situation, all four teams share the view that Rodgers’ decision will depend on Green Bay and Denver, and that when it’s over, he will likely sign a two-year contract. extension making him the highest paid player in the NFL.
The story goes on
Now everyone is waiting for Tuesday’s franchise “tell” tag to materialize with the Packers and Adams, which will demonstrate Green Bay’s intention to keep Rodgers’ top goal going into 2022. And while some in the media speculated that it could be a tag-and-trade move allowing the Packers to trade Rodgers and Adams together, one executive who didn’t play for either player was skeptical of the scenario.
Aaron Rodgers’ future will come to a sort of defining moment when the Packers make the decision to use the franchise tag on Davant Adams. (Photo by Samuel Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“Sending players and [draft] chooses – the one who receives [Rodgers and Adams] both players and picks will have to be sent together – this will be one of the largest deals in the history of the NFL or close to it, ”said the head. “Then there is [contract] extension that Rogers is likely the highest paid player in the next NFL [season] and Davante Adams would become the richest wide receiver deal ever made. Trading and paying out compensatory MVPs is quite complex and [media] add probably the best or second best receiver, like it’s fantasy football.”
This, of course, does not mean that such a move is impossible. Every deal or asset burn is unprecedented until someone designs it (think the Los Angeles Rams), but the reality is that the path to keeping Rodgers and Adams together still makes the most sense for Green Bay. If that doesn’t work, the first step would be for Rodgers to be traded and work out a new deal with the team after the league’s new year kicks off at 4:00 pm ET on March 16. If Rodgers requests a trade, the Packers will still have options with Adams, including extending his contract, trading one of him to another team, the aforementioned mega-trade, letting him play the tag season, or having the tag void entirely and letting him go free. agent.
Be that as it may, this week represents a defining moment for all involved. Packers free agents are ready to make decisions, Adams’s future will have some clarity, and any teams interested in a trade for Rodgers will be willing to put their secondary options for the quarterback on hold for the time being. One way or another, it will come to mind. Rogers also makes a weekly guest appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, which suddenly seems like the perfect opportunity for everything to be revealed right away.
This means Rogers will own the news cycle for at least the next few days. Whether it lasts for weeks or even the rest of the offseason depends largely on his decision. If he stays, the group will reunite as far as the Packers can get it. If he leaves, it will have a domino effect in the NFL, which we’ll be talking about throughout training camp in July.