What Aaron Rodgers contract details mean for Packers cap space now and in the future

Now that the new Aaron Rodgers contract details have been revealed, what is its impact on the Green Bay Packers cap space situation?

Last season the Green Bay Packers flirted with a reality in which Rodgers was no longer in the picture, as a refusal to commit future salary space to him caused such a stir that it sounded like a trade was inevitable. Now the Packers have swung entirely to the other end of the spectrum, but this new reality they’re living in won’t end when Rodgers’ career in Green Bay does.

Rodgers signed his new $200 million contract this week, making his record-setting deal official and locking him in as the Packers quarterback for the next four years. What those four years look like, however, are already being questioned thanks to the incredible sledgehammer-sized dent this new contract is putting in the Packers’ books.

Ian Rapoport from NFL Network reports that Rodgers is getting $150 million guaranteed, while Mike Florio notes that the cap hit this season will be reduced from its original $46.66 million total in 2022.

Aaron Rodgers contract details revealed

Here’s what the next three years look like now that Rodgers has signed his new contract with the Packers:

• 2022: $28.5 million (down from $46.7 million)
• 2023: $31.6 million (up from $7.7 million on a previously voidable year)
• 2024: $40.7 million

That’s not a bad thing for the immediate future, as the Packers did what Rodgers wanted them to do last season and extend him while making space to add potential Super Bowl pieces to the roster.

Most notably, Davante Adams needs to be paid and is refusing to settle for less. Lowering Rodgers’ cap hit this season could make it easier for the Packers front office to perform the financial acrobatics required to bring him back.

But the bill is going to come due, and when it does the Packers are going to be left holding a nasty bag.

Aaron Rodgers contract details reveal potential problems for Packers cap space

Rodgers’ new contract appears to be the very definition of living in the moment. Yes, there is newly created space to add pieces to the roster and compete for a Super Bowl. No, the good times will not last forever and the potential weight of this deal could sink the Packers future if they’re not careful.

According to Packers beat writer Tom Silverstein, the estimated dead cap from Rodgers’ recent record-setting extension is roughly $75 million. Which is a lot.

Tom Pelissero from NFL Network points out that if Rodgers retires or the Packers decide to release or trade him, the dead cap space kicks in as early as 2024.

In other words, things are about to get very tight in Green Bay.

To be fair, the bet that the Packers are making is that the back-to-back MVP is going to continue producing at a high level and not walk away from the game in the next few years. It’s a safe bet, as the biggest thing driving Rodgers toward potential retirement or a divorce from the Packers was a lack of commitment to him.

Not only have the Packers added years to his deal but they’ve made him the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. The deal doesn’t get any sweeter from Rodgers end, and the table has been set for consecutive moon-shot swings at winning a Super Bowl.

It’s worth noting what Mike Garafolo pointed out as far as the Packers being able to move money around in the future and convert salaries to save on potential dead cap space in the years after Rodgers contract ends.

Green Bay isn’t the first team to mortgage its future to try and win a Super Bowl now. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are doing the same thing with the return of Tom Brady and the New Orleans Saints have been laundering money through Taysom Hill for years in an effort to remain competitive.

The only remaining question is will this gamble pay off or will the Packers be left with empty pockets and a depressing trophy room?