The Green Bay Packers did not use Aaron Rodgers’ roster bonus in 2021 to create salary cap.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the Packers paid Rodgers’ $ 6.8 million roster bonus on Friday, meaning it won’t be converted into a signing bonus as part of a contract restructuring.
The team could have made the conversion to free up cap space this year. Converting the money into a signing bonus would have equally earned the upper limit of the last three years of Rodgers’ contract, releasing upper limit dollars now, but adding dollars to the limits of the last two years.
Rodgers still has $ 14.7 million in base salary that can be converted into a signing bonus if the Packers want to make a simple restructuring. The team could also work with Rodgers on an extension that could lower his cap hit in 2021 – currently at an NFL high of $ 37.2 million – and add years to his deal, bringing a stronger financial commitment to the MVP quarterback. this season.
The Packers used roster bonus conversion for several veteran players, including Adrian Amos and Za’Darius Smith, to create cap space for the start of the new competition year.
According to Demovsky, a contract restructuring or extension is still possible for Rodgers. NFL Network’s Mike Silver reported on Monday that the team is in the process of restructuring.
The Packers, who lined up Jordan Love in the first round last year, have options. They can leave Rodgers’ contract alone and play out the situation year after year. They can do a simple restructuring of Rodgers’ deal to help now, but potentially complicate the Rodgers of Love decision later on. Or they can do a major expansion or restructure and fully commit to Rodgers, creating a Jimmy Garoppolo situation for Love.