Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has taken a passive aggressive approach with the organization this offseason. There are moves we know he didn’t like — replacing quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt and releasing receiver Jordy Nelson.
Both were good friends of Rodgers. Both were let go without Rodgers’ input.
Should Rodgers have been consulted? In some places in the NFL, organizations may consult their star players before making such moves. In Green Bay, they traditionally have not.
Last week, we surmised that Rodgers wasn’t completely content and listed three reasons why. There is now a report from Yahoo! Sports that calls Rodgers frustrated and emotional over the lack of communication from the front office.
“Both of those decisions [with Nelson and Van Pelt] were made without him,” one league source close to Rodgers said. “In both situations, he had no influence with [the front office] before anything went down.”
“I know he’s thinking about that stuff when it comes to the next contract because he should have earned a voice by now,” the source continued. “In other places with [elite] quarterbacks, consideration is given to those guys. I think Aaron wants to be engaged in some decisions. But that’s just not the way it works [in Green Bay]. I think that’s obviously frustrating and it’s going to keep coming out.”
To date, Rodgers has only made passive aggressive comments through the media in relation to Van Pelt and Nelson. Now it appears he’s having one of his representatives voice his frustration for him by planting this story.
Is it coincidence that this story appeared on the very day the Packers started OTAs? I think not.
When asked specifically if he wanted more input with the front office, Rodgers gave the diplomatic answer.
“You have to trust the process … and the process works,” Rodgers said, “they’re paying me to play quarterback… and there’s interest on both side in getting (a contract extension) done.”
Ah yes, the contract extension. Even though the Packers labeled it a priority when the offseason began, a new deal has been slow to come.
Part of that has to be because of the idiotic, fully-guaranteed deal the Vikings gave Kirk Cousins. The Packers are in a bad negotiating position because of it. Another part has to be Rodgers’ current state of frustration with the decision-making process.
We’re hearing a new deal isn’t close. If there’s any good news there, it’s that the Packers do have Rodgers under his current contract through 2019. They don’t need to be in a huge hurry.
It should be plenty interesting to see how this plays out.
The thing is, I think all of these moves recently were made with the intention of getting Aaron Rodgers another ring. Moving Thompson aside. Getting a new defensive coordinator. I think Rodgers probably knows this.
The problem is, there have been few players available in free agency that look like a guaranteed lock to help the team, including at the receiver position. None of the receivers in free agency looked like game changers, they all had issues.
I’m not so sure Rodgers thinks getting rid of a wide receiver, who caught 20 td’s in his last 22 games with Rodgers is his idea of making a move for another ring. Nor should anyone with any common sense.
Except for the part where Rodgers has little negotiating power. The packers own his rights for two more years. And could franchise tag him the two following years. Basically Rodgers would have to pull a Carson Palmer. Which I don’t think it will get that ugly, at least not yet. Idk how I feel about players being involved in management and personnel decisions.
I love watching you play Rodgers but I come on, seriously? You saw what happened with Favre and you thought things would be different for you? Get off your high horse, just play, make money, and stop acting as if the team owes you more than that fat paycheck.
Sheep