Packers: Aaron Rodgers turned down new contract this offseason

The top storyline of the summer between Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers doesn’t appear to be going away just yet.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported today that Rodgers turned down a new contract offer this offseason that would’ve made him the highest-paid QB in the league while also keeping him under contract for five more years.

This is notable, of course, as it shows Rodgers didn’t just want a new deal and perhaps his unhappiness with the situation goes beyond just salary.

However, it’s important to note that Schefter doesn’t specify when this happened. All he said was that it happened this offseason.

With that in mind, it doesn’t necessarily mean the situation is still the same, and perhaps Rodgers would accept a new offer with the right terms. We don’t know how this potential contract extension would’ve been structured. Yes, Rodgers would’ve become the highest-paid QB, but maybe the Packers could also get out of the deal after a couple of years.

We simply don’t know the full details.

As far as the Rodgers situation goes, we should have a much clearer idea by next week what his plan is for the 2021 season. If he shows up to training camp, it will show he’s ready to play this season. If not, perhaps the Packers will need to prepare for life beyond Rodgers and get either Jordan Love or Blake Bortles ready to start.

As has been the case for the past few months, Rodgers could end much of the speculation by publicly stating his stance and whether he intends to play. But unless that happens, the wait goes on. And we likely won’t know with any certainty which way this will go until Rodgers either shows up at training camp or continues his holdout after skipping OTAs and minicamp.