As the league’s NFL training camps open, the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers appear to be heading for a solution for the upcoming season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Rodgers and the Packers are on the verge of an agreement that would bring Rodgers back to the team for another season. The deal, which Schefter calls “close”, does not include any more money. However, the Packers are optimizing Rodgers’ contract so that he can leave Green Bay next year.
Rodgers has three years left on his current contract, but the Packers have agreed to cancel the final year in 2023. They have also assured him that they will not tag him with the franchise tag and will “review” his situation after the 2021 season.
Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy told shareholders Monday the organization wanted him back.
“We want him back. We are committed to it for 2021 and beyond. He’s our leader and we look forward to winning another Super Bowl, ”Murphy said of ESPN.
Trading with Rodgers as training camps open would not bring the Packers the same value in return, and would not give Rodgers enough time to settle in with a new organization. Withdrawing for another year gives both sides time to assess their respective futures.