The Green Bay Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers have had “no meaningful progress” in contract extension talks recently, according to a ProFootballTalk report on Friday.
Per the report, that could change, but any deal is unlikely to happen soon.
Rodgers, 34, still has two years remaining on his contract, but his $22 million annual average now ranks 10th among all quarterbacks, trailing Atlanta’s Matt Ryan by $8 million annually. Rodgers can make a little over $20.5 million this season and $21.1 million in 2019 before his contract expires, including roster and workout bonuses.
New Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst told PFT Live in May that he expected an extension with Rodgers to happen sooner than later.
“Both sides are working towards it and we’e confident we’ll come to an agreement soon,” Gutekunst said on May 3, hours before Ryan became the NFL’s highest-paid player. “We’re pretty confident that this is something that’s taking its normal course, its normal time.”
Rodgers has not been particularly vocal about wanting a new deal.
A Yahoo Sports report in April suggested the signal-caller was unhappy with his lack of influence in personnel decisions that affect him - like the release of longtime wideout Jordy Nelson - and said it could factor into future contract discussions. Rodgers, however, dismissed the report as “click bait” in an Instagram post later that day.
The six-time Pro Bowl passer missed nine games last season with a broken collarbone but is the odds-on favourite in Las Vegas to win the league’s MVP award in 2018, at plus-550 compared to plus-800 for Tom Brady.