The reigning two-time MVP is staying in the NFC for the foreseeable future. The Packers and Aaron Rodgers are closing in on a four-year extension worth a reported $200 million, ending the seemingly endless drama between the team and quarterback.
The Rams probably wouldn’t have minded if Rodgers went to the AFC, but as the defending Super Bowl champions, they’ll welcome any and all challenges next season so long as they have Matthew Stafford at quarterback – which they do, and should for many years to come.
The Rams are prioritizing a contract extension for Stafford this offseason, knowing he only has one year left on his current deal. Nothing is imminent right now, and after seeing Rodgers’ hefty raise, Stafford could be in for a similar bump in pay.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Rodgers’ deal is worth $200 million over four years, including $153 million guaranteed. That’s $50 million per year, making Rodgers the highest-paid player in NFL history, up from his previous salary of $33.5 million per year.
The #Packers and MVP QB Aaron Rodgers have agreed to terms on a 4-year, $200M deal that makes him the highest paid player in NFL history, sources say. He gets a whopping $153M guaranteed and his cap number goes down. A monstrous commitment by GB for years to come. 💰 💰 💰
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2022
Currently, Stafford is making $27 million per year, which is only 14th among all quarterbacks. He deserved more than $27 million per year before winning the Super Bowl in his first season with the Rams, and now his price tag is likely to go up considerably.
There’s no chance he reaches Rodgers’ salary of $50 million per year, but that can now be used as a bargaining piece – a target for Stafford’s camp.
Hypothetically, Stafford’s agent can go to the Rams and say something like this: “Rodgers is 38 and has four total playoff wins since 2016. Stafford is 34, won four playoff games this year and has as many Super Bowl rings as Rodgers.”
Again, Stafford isn’t going to make $50 million per year like Rodgers. No one is saying he’s as valuable as the four-time MVP and 10-time Pro Bowler. But to the Rams, Stafford is just as valuable as Rodgers is to the Packers – and we saw that this year when he won Super Bowl LVI in his first season in L.A.
The Rams aren’t going to let Stafford get away next offseason, and they’re not going to want to play the contract leverage game with him in 2023 if they somehow don’t get a deal done in the next six months.
The Rams also probably knew Rodgers’ extension was coming soon anyway and that his salary would at least approach $50 million per year, if not eclipse it.
Even though this news may not change much for the Rams and Stafford, the bar has been set incredibly high. Expect Stafford’s contract to come in below that, likely in the range of $40-$45 million per year.
