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Looks like Rodgers got his contract adjusted. Below is a breakdown of his actual cap hit.
The Packers are going to be pay dearly after Rodgers leaves, but this contract does set up GB to be a "Tom Brady" style contract the next three seasons. We actually have a great chance at being a really good football team these next three years if Rodgers brings it.
Aaron Rodgers will earn $42.0M cash in 2022, yet only $9.36 million counts on the 2022 cap
2023: $59.5M cash, $15.74M on cap
2024: $49.3M cash, $17.97M on cap
Huge built-in cap proration here! If he plays 3 years & retires the Packers end up with $76.8M dead cap over 2025-2026.
…
Does Rodgers play 3 more years? Probably not…
So if it ends up being 1 & Done for Rodgers, the Packers are left with “only” $40.31M of dead cap in 2023-2024.
If it’s 2 years & Done, then they are are hit with $68.21M of dead cap in 2024-2025.
I don't trust this quote entirely. I don't see how the math is physicall possible. There has to be a LOT of void years to make this happen.
I don't think the cap numbers are affected. Yardbarker's article is written in a messy way, and gives that impression if you're not reading very carefully.
The only thing that was changed now is that he gets the actual money of the roster bonus (that's somehow treated as a signing bonus ) of the newest extension a little earlier. Since that cap hit was already prorated over 5 years, and you can't prorate anything over a longer period that that, I don't think the cap numbers change at all.
Void years also wouldn't help right now because of that 5 year maximum. If AR still wants to play in 2025, then we could do some void year shenanigans with his base salary.
AR's 2022 cap hit consists of a minimum base salary and then cap hits from signing bonuses from several contract extensions and restructures. There's nothing you can do to those signing bonus cap hits. I think the cap hit stands at about 28.5M
A lot of teams are doing these types of deals and for other positions. The owners know the cap is rising exponentially soon with the gambling companies a big reason why.
From what I have read and heard this adjustment does not affect anything other than we are paying Rodgers half his roster bonus in Sept. whereas we were set to pay him the full roster bonus in Dec. Speculation was that this was set this way originally in case he was going to retire.
Palmy - "Very few have the ability to truly excel regardless of system. For many the system is the difference between being just a guy or an NFL starter. Fact is, everyone is talented at this level."
I think the only simple ones are Aaron Rodgers retires or he wants to play and we want him back. If he's back I think he gets 58.3 million, fully guaranteed, but would be spread out over future years, making the '23 cap hit reasonable (36M).
I think on retirement, our dead cap would drop considerably to a somewhat manageable level, not sure how that plays out about carrying his contract post June 1 for purpose of spreading dead cap between '23 and '24, and having to carry that salary past free agent start. But I think around 40M in dead cap we'd have to account for. I think his cap hit was already supposed to be around 36 million. So should be able to free up money at least next year if we spread it out, or if we take it all at once, a little hit to the current '23 cap.
If he retires, he'd presently be walking away from about $59 million. And he can basically force the Packers hand if he wants to play here.
I always believe the intention and design of this contract was to give Aaron basically the decision to play or retire himself, as well as basically a no trade clause by design. As in Packers can't cut or trade him, as the dead cap would be too insane.
If he wants to play, and mutually both parties agree. I think how the contract is written today makes it near impossible to trade him, like 66 million next cap loss for the PAckers next year. I wonder what Rodgers can do to his contract to open up that possibility. Guess something about ripping up the current contract somewhat entirely, foregoing that 58.3 million guarantee, and find a way to pass on that salary to the new team with minimal cap hit on the Packers end, which I would think would be about $40M.
Guess our best case scenario is he wants to play, okay being traded, rips up his contract, leaving us with just the $40M of dead cap (money we already gave him but haven't accounted for on cap), and we get a couple of picks in return.
Shame that is has come to this, but I don't think we can provide a Super Bowl caliber roster to him by next year given some of our cap restraints.
Old QB showing signs that he no longer has it anymore with a huge contract we can't get out of. Literally our worst nightmare and shame on Gutey. Should have stuck to his guns after drafting Love. Alas...
Old QB showing signs that he no longer has it anymore with a huge contract we can't get out of. Literally our worst nightmare and shame on Gutey. Should have stuck to his guns after drafting Love. Alas...
Yeah, that simply wasn't done well at all, trying to play it both ways at the same time.
Totally get trying to be prepared for each scenario, but letting Aaron dictate his contract AND trading up into the first round isn't being prepared, that is going all in opposite directions.
There was no reason to redo rodgers deal. If he refused to play on the recently redone deal he should have been traded. Otherwise he should have just played on the deal redone a year or two ago. Rodgers had the org so desperate due to love being a bust they bent the knee to the point of destroying the franchise. Well done gute.
I think the only simple ones are Aaron Rodgers retires or he wants to play and we want him back. If he's back I think he gets 58.3 million, fully guaranteed, but would be spread out over future years, making the '23 cap hit reasonable (36M).
I think on retirement, our dead cap would drop considerably to a somewhat manageable level, not sure how that plays out about carrying his contract post June 1 for purpose of spreading dead cap between '23 and '24, and having to carry that salary past free agent start. But I think around 40M in dead cap we'd have to account for. I think his cap hit was already supposed to be around 36 million. So should be able to free up money at least next year if we spread it out, or if we take it all at once, a little hit to the current '23 cap.
If he retires, he'd presently be walking away from about $59 million. And he can basically force the Packers hand if he wants to play here.
I always believe the intention and design of this contract was to give Aaron basically the decision to play or retire himself, as well as basically a no trade clause by design. As in Packers can't cut or trade him, as the dead cap would be too insane.
If he wants to play, and mutually both parties agree. I think how the contract is written today makes it near impossible to trade him, like 66 million next cap loss for the PAckers next year. I wonder what Rodgers can do to his contract to open up that possibility. Guess something about ripping up the current contract somewhat entirely, foregoing that 58.3 million guarantee, and find a way to pass on that salary to the new team with minimal cap hit on the Packers end, which I would think would be about $40M.
Guess our best case scenario is he wants to play, okay being traded, rips up his contract, leaving us with just the $40M of dead cap (money we already gave him but haven't accounted for on cap), and we get a couple of picks in return.
Shame that is has come to this, but I don't think we can provide a Super Bowl caliber roster to him by next year given some of our cap restraints.
Thanks for posting, very informative.
And this information just kind of makes it clear to me at least that this will not be a quick turnaround.
It may well get worse, if that is possible, before it gets better at least from a veterans on the roster standpoint.
Old QB showing signs that he no longer has it anymore with a huge contract we can't get out of. Literally our worst nightmare and shame on Gutey. Should have stuck to his guns after drafting Love. Alas...
Yeah, that simply wasn't done well at all, trying to play it both ways at the same time.
Totally get trying to be prepared for each scenario, but letting Aaron dictate his contract AND trading up into the first round isn't being prepared, that is going all in opposite directions.
Exactly. Yikes.
I guess the good news is that it doesn't take as long as it used to when it comes to rebuilding. Hit on a couple draft picks and have a good system and you're right back in it.
There was one reason to pay Aaron Rodgers like Guty did. That is, that everything on Lombardi Avenue goes through Aaron Rodgers, at least on the field. When that deal was made, there was still reason to think that he’d play as well as Tom Brady. Very, very few would say otherwise.
So, now that he isn’t…
It’s fair to say that it isn’t just an injured OLine and WR corps. AR is showing definite decline in cognitive skills. The arm strength is certainly still there. But he isn’t reading defenses like he used to.
This season is a wash now. Play him or don’t. But next year, if he doesn’t retire, can you bench a guy getting PAID like this? Nope. You cannot. That is going to be the conundrum. The problems now are nothing compared to what it’ll be next year, unless he can somehow revive his career and actually win games.
Come on down and try some of our delicious green chili! Best in the world!
Old QB showing signs that he no longer has it anymore with a huge contract we can't get out of. Literally our worst nightmare and shame on Gutey. Should have stuck to his guns after drafting Love. Alas...
Yeah, that simply wasn't done well at all, trying to play it both ways at the same time.
Totally get trying to be prepared for each scenario, but letting Aaron dictate his contract AND trading up into the first round isn't being prepared, that is going all in opposite directions.
Exactly. Yikes.
I guess the good news is that it doesn't take as long as it used to when it comes to rebuilding. Hit on a couple draft picks and have a good system and you're right back in it.
really? I'll be taking notes on how that works out, some of us probably thought the same thing in 1968, that rebuild took only 20 years
Yeah, that simply wasn't done well at all, trying to play it both ways at the same time.
Totally get trying to be prepared for each scenario, but letting Aaron dictate his contract AND trading up into the first round isn't being prepared, that is going all in opposite directions.
Exactly. Yikes.
I guess the good news is that it doesn't take as long as it used to when it comes to rebuilding. Hit on a couple draft picks and have a good system and you're right back in it.
really? I'll be taking notes on how that works out, some of us probably thought the same thing in 1968, that rebuild took only 20 years
Yeah, that simply wasn't done well at all, trying to play it both ways at the same time.
Totally get trying to be prepared for each scenario, but letting Aaron dictate his contract AND trading up into the first round isn't being prepared, that is going all in opposite directions.
Exactly. Yikes.
I guess the good news is that it doesn't take as long as it used to when it comes to rebuilding. Hit on a couple draft picks and have a good system and you're right back in it.
really? I'll be taking notes on how that works out, some of us probably thought the same thing in 1968, that rebuild took only 20 years
I guess the good news is that it doesn't take as long as it used to when it comes to rebuilding. Hit on a couple draft picks and have a good system and you're right back in it.
really? I'll be taking notes on how that works out, some of us probably thought the same thing in 1968, that rebuild took only 20 years
There was one reason to pay Aaron Rodgers like Guty did. That is, that everything on Lombardi Avenue goes through Aaron Rodgers, at least on the field. When that deal was made, there was still reason to think that he’d play as well as Tom Brady. Very, very few would say otherwise.
So, now that he isn’t…
It’s fair to say that it isn’t just an injured OLine and WR corps. AR is showing definite decline in cognitive skills. The arm strength is certainly still there. But he isn’t reading defenses like he used to.
This season is a wash now. Play him or don’t. But next year, if he doesn’t retire, can you bench a guy getting PAID like this? Nope. You cannot. That is going to be the conundrum. The problems now are nothing compared to what it’ll be next year, unless he can somehow revive his career and actually win games.
Agreed. We were all optimistic for a reason to start the season. If Rodgers played like he played in 2020 and 2021....the move would still have been viewed a good one.
It's just that instead of a top 10 level QB....he is playing like a 20th to 25th rated QB. So the move obviously looks a lot worse when the big contracted player is playing far below his contract.
I get why BG did what he did. But linking with Rodgers is now obviously the wrong move. My hope is we can remove the dead cap all in 2023 so we can get on with the team in 2024.
) of the newest extension a little earlier. Since that cap hit was already prorated over 5 years, and you can't prorate anything over a longer period that that, I don't think the cap numbers change at all. 
