With Matt Ryan Done, Aaron Rodgers Is Up
Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings set the dumbass bar. Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons raised it on Thursday.
The Falcons gave Ryan a new contract that averages $30 million per season and includes $100 million guaranteed. That raises the quarterback pay scale from Cousins’ $28 million annually and his $84 million guaranteed.
I mean, wow.
Anyway, Aaron Rodgers was sitting around waiting for these two clowns to sign new contracts before he signs his. That deal has been happening “soon” since February. Here’s the obvious statement. The Packers want to make Rodgers the highest-paid player in the game. Rodgers obviously wants to be the highest-paid player in the game. In order to make that happen, everyone had to sit on their hands until the other quarterbacks worked out their deals.
I’ll mention this one more time. Rodgers was angry that the Packers released Jordy Nelson. Yet, Rodgers could have saved that guy, his buddy, had he signed his extension back in, say… February.
It’s a business though. For everyone, not just the teams.
With Ryan getting $30 million annually, Rodgers will have to get something like $31 million annually. He’ll also need to at least meet, if not surpass that $100 million guaranteed.
Is all of this absurd? Yes, it is, but that is the NFL.
9 Comments
Recent Posts
This post will have heated discussionson whether Rodgers should give the team a discount or become the highest paid player (and by how much). I’ll get something out of the way: (i) Rodgers is worth half the team, as we saw last season and (ii) he can’t be blamed if he asks for 32 to 35M.
We would be lucky if he signs for anything between 27 to 30 M. The difference is basically one free agent. Depending on where we are at, that may or may not be relevant. If the 2017 and 2018 draftees light it up, having an extra FA to take a position on which we are average and make it a strength can indeed mean something. If, on the contrary, our draftees fall short, it won’t matter if we get one more FA, since we will be exposed on some weakness anyway.
The bulk of the team building work has to come from the draft, but depending on the situation, one more FA signing could help.
The unknown here are mostly the 2018 draftees, in spite of the multiple evaluations that experts put out there. Let’s say Rodgers signs for 35M, and our guys do tear it up. We won’t pull an Eagles (i.e. keep reinforcing the team despite it being very well rounded). Now, if the 2018 don’t contribute strongly (picks 1 and 2 especially, plus one of the WRs), and the 2017 batch doesn’t keep improving, then it won’t matter if Rodgers breaks the bank. If Rodgers doesn’t, and the picks evolve as expected, 2018 and especially 2019 would be very interesting seasons to watch.
It isn’t Rodgers fault the team signed players to bad contracts
Not to mention failed drafts, and failed free agent signings, etc.
I could go on and on….and i will, someday soon :)
GO PACK GO!!!
*Fair and Balanced
^^These guys get it.
MJ is right, this topic will bring some heated discussion, especially when the numbers come out when he signs. And i’m looking forward to those who are saying he should take one for the team. I am really…look forward to it.
*looking
Almost as triggering as the Janis topic.
THERE GOES MY FUCKING CABLE BILL AGAIN!
Won’t be doing my yearly pilgrimage to The Tundra……
At median $300+ Projected they will be 3rd highest tix in league for 2018 (before #12 signing)….
https://www.vividseats.com/blog/2018-nfl-ticket-prices
I never looked into it, but whenever the Packers institute a ticket price increase, they always explain how they are just keeping pace, and are middle of the road regarding ticket prices.