We’ve been noticing stories here and there where someone on the Green Bay Packers talks about why guys show up for OTAs, even though they are voluntary.
At first, the player cracks a joke about money and then goes on some diatribe about building chemistry or being a leader. Let’s be honest though. Veterans primarily show up because they’re paid handsomely to do so.
That’s not to say that we don’t believe some guys are also motivated by the good of the team. Those are the kind of guys the Packers draft, but that’s clearly secondary when you take a look at what some of them are getting paid to show up in Green Bay on weeks like these.
The Packers primarily only give workout bonuses to veterans, i.e. players who are integral to the team’s success and they feel have earned them. So guys playing out their rookie deals, of which there are many on the Packers, aren’t getting paid to show up for OTAs. There are a couple exceptions there, however, but we’ll note those momentarily.
And if it was unclear, that’s what a workout bonus is. We’re going to pay you to show up for the stuff on the schedule that’s “voluntary.”
That pretty much makes it mandatory for some guys, but these are the nuances of the collective bargaining agreement.
Who’s getting paid to be in Green Bay right now?
These guys.
- Aaron Rodgers ($500,000)
- Clay Matthews ($500,000)
- Julius Peppers ($500,000)
- Sam Shields ($500,000)
- Jordy Nelson ($500,000)
- Randall Cobb ($400,000)
- Josh Sitton ($300,000)
- Morgan Burnett ($300,000)
- Bryan Bulaga ($250,000)
- T.J. Lang ($200,000)
- Mike Neal ($200,000)
- Mason Crosby ($150,000)
- Letroy Guion ($100,000)
- B.J. Raji ($100,000)
- Tim Masthay ($100,000)
- Scott Tolzien ($100,000)
- James Starks ($75,000)
- Andrew Quarless ($75,000)
- Brett Goode ($25,000)
- John Kuhn ($25,000)
- Khyri Thornton ($10,000)
- Richard Rodgers ($10,000)
Hey, that’s a lot of weed money for Letroy.
On another note, you see the two anomalies at the bottom of the list. Both Thornton and Rodgers are second-year players, which means they’re still playing on their rookie contracts. For whatever reason — probably because they hired the right agent — those are they only two guys on rookie deals getting workout bonuses from the Packers.
So, Aaron Rodgers can talk about team chemistry all he wants. He’s really building that chemistry right now because he had to show up to collect his $500,000 check.