If Packers fans are wondering why it has taken so long for Green Bay to make big moves in free agency, Aaron Rodgers’ contract has something to do with it.
Ever since free agency got underway, Green Bay Packers fans have been waiting to see general manager Brian Gutekunst make a big splash. Yet, we’ve seen players who figured to be prime Packers targets sign elsewhere.
Green Bay supporters were dreaming of the team signing a stud wide receiver, including Will Fuller, TY Hilton and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Yet, nothing happened.
According to ESPN insider and Packers writer Rob Demovsky, it’s because Aaron Rodgers’ massive contract is holding things up a bit.
Aaron Rodgers’ contract is the reason Green Bay hasn’t made big moves with free agents
Per Demovsky, the Packers front office has reached out to agents and basically made it known that they’d like to make a move, but because of cap issues, there’s only so much money they’d be able to offer. This of course is going to have a negative impact on potential targets, as they’d understandably accept more money to go play somewhere else.
A fix for this would be to convert some of Rodgers’ big-time salary into a bonus, but the two sides haven’t made anything happen here yet. There’s no denying Rodgers and his relationship with the front office hasn’t been great, especially after the team drafted quarterback Jordan Love in the first round last spring.
The hope was that a wideout would have been picked first to help Rodgers out. Instead, none of the 2020 draft picks were used on a receiver. That simply can’t be the case for the 2021 draft, which is right around the corner.
Green Bay has the potential to compete for a Super Bowl next season. In order for that to happen, though, Gutekunst needs to work his magic and get Rodgers some more offensive help.