The Green Bay Packers were able to significantly lower Aaron Rodgers’ cap number in 2022 with his new deal.
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Rodgers’ cap number this season will drop to $28.5 million, down from $46.7 million. The total savings is almost $18.2 million.
In one big move, the Packers have all but cured themselves of their remaining cap issues. The team came into Tuesday needing to trim roughly $21.8 million off the cap.
Other minor moves will be required. The Packers have many options to shed the remaining cap, including restructures or releases for veteran players such as Randall Cobb, Adrian Amos, Dean Lowry, Mason Crosby and Marcedes Lewis.
Rodgers’ deal was the big puzzle piece after Monday’s moves. In addition to re-doing Rodgers’ contract, the Packers were also able to extend Preston Smith’s deal and release Za’Darius Smith and Billy Turner. The four moves cleared roughly $43.7 million off the cap in 2022.
The other side of the coin? For cap savings now, the Packers will pay later. And pay a lot. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the dead cap hit for Rodgers retiring or the Packers moving on after the 2023 season is almost $70 million. With fake years tacked on the backend of the deal, the Packers are going to be swimming in dead cap money once Rodgers is done in Green Bay.
Cap space now, pain later. That’s the cost of doing business for a team with a two-time MVP quarterback, a Super Bowl window and short-term cap troubles.
