The Green Bay Packers have struggled to navigate the last several months without questions concerning Aaron Rodgers’ future. The star quarterback ramped up the pressure after recently airing that he wants a change of scenery. However, Green Bay responded by attempting to make star quarterback Patrick Mahomes envious to keep the three-time MVP.

Aaron Rodgers voices his desire to leave the Packers

Since last offseason, Rodgers has had a constant bullseye on his back regarding his future in Green Bay.

The future Hall of Famer stayed the course voicing his desire to remain well beyond his current deal. However, the Packers haven’t budged publicly toward committing to him beyond the 2023 season despite saying that he’s the team’s future.

All that combined with various other puzzling decisions navigated Rodgers to air his desire to leave. Since then, various details have emerged, including one route that would make another star quarterback quite jealous.

Packers attempted to make Patrick Mahomes jealous to keep Aaron Rodgers

Over the last few months, Rodgers has shifted the Packers into complete damage control.

Meanwhile, uncertainty remains quite prevalent around the star quarterback’s future. Green Bay continues to work behind the scenes to handle the situation, including offering the three-time NFL MVP an extension that would have made him the highest-paid player.

“In recent months, according to sources, the Packers have offered to make the 37-year-old Rodgers the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback,” The Athletic‘s Bob McGrinn stated. “Those overtures were turned aside. The fractured relationship between quarterback and team seems to have little or nothing to do with money.”

The issues that Rodgers holds with the franchise are more profound than money. However, the reported extension would have paid him north of Patrick Mahomes’ NFL record of $45 million annual average from his 10-year, $450 million deal.

The intriguing part would be to know the length of that extension, as the Packers likely didn’t go further than a couple of years. Rodgers is nearing his 40s, and there is no guarantee he will age gracefully as Tom Brady has into the backstretch of his illustrious career.

Beyond that, the 37-year-old turned down that offer speaks to more significant issues that remain unresolved.

Green Bay has more work ahead

Rodgers simply didn’t arrive at his breaking point with the Packers overnight.

It’s come after a build-up of many internal frustrations that guided him to want out after 16 seasons. Rodgers previously maintained a firm conviction for his desire to play his entire career in Green Bay.

His mind frame has shifted toward wanting a new NFL home to control the next chapter of his career. Meanwhile, the Packers continue to publicly voice backing him as the future, but those actions haven’t rung true in other areas.

At some point, Green Bay will have to face the music that their star quarterback wants to leave. The question will be whether they will make that transition this offseason.

The Packers could move forward with second-year quarterback Jordan Love, but there isn’t any unwavering confidence that he’s ready for that massive responsibility. Rodgers also holds a massive $38.3 million dead cap hit for the 2021 season. Any trade would require them to carry an NFL-record cap hit for the upcoming campaign.

The writing is on the wall in Green Bay, and it’s only a matter of the front office moving toward that inevitable end.

Contract figures courtesy of Spotrac.