One of the top priorities for the Green Bay Packers this NFL offseason has centered around the long-term future of All-Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He is set to enter the fourth year of his five-year, $110 million deal that has pushed forth the pressure on the front office to get a new extension worked out.
In the weeks leading up to the NFL free agency period, there has been continued progress made toward hammering out a new deal. According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, the 34-year-old appears to be set on waiting to see what kind of offers that Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins receives once he hits the open market.
Update on the #Packers Aaron Rodgers contract extension. I heard it was extremely close. But a trusted source told me the two sides are simply talking and that Rodgers' extension is unlikely to be done until after the Kirk Cousins deal comes in. Which makes a lot of sense.
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) March 3, 2018
Cousins is set to be the most sought-out player on the open market where he will have several different teams such as the Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and Denver Broncos all making serious pushes to sign him. There have already been reports that believe that the Jets could offer him a fully guaranteed deal in free agency, which could change the landscape of future contract negotiations around the league that could foreseeably begin with Rodgers.
Although he suffered a broken collarbone this past season, Rodgers is still one of the top quarterbacks in the league that still has plenty left in the tank to perform at an elite level. This could only heighten the level of importance for the Packers in presenting him with a lucrative offer that makes him as possibly the highest-paid player at his position. Rodgers is the epitome of a franchise-changing quarterback even at this stage of his career entering his 14th season in the NFL.
It could see his average salary on the new extension push much further past Jimmy Garappolo's $27.5 million average annual salary depending on the type of offers that Cousins receives in free agency. These next few weeks could have a major impact on the entire league in the contract negotiation process with quarterbacks moving forward.
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