No Rebuild on the Horizon

[Dantés]

This offseason has been framed by many as being about a choice between keeping Aaron Rodgers or entering a rebuild.

But the signals from the Packers' front office is that the latter isn't part of the plan even if the former doesn't come to fruition.

With restructures to Kenny Clark, David Bakhtiari, and Aaron Jones, the Packers have free up 22M in cap space for 2022. Now that makes plenty of sense if they're keeping Rodgers on board and running it all back. But they don't know if Rodgers is coming back yet, and they're doing it anyways.

What that says is that the Packers are going to be striving to put out a winner with or without Rodgers. A team preparing to rebuild would not be mortgaging the future with contract restructures. So either Rodgers is back with virtually an identical supporting cast, or the team is putting as much talent as it possibly can around a new signal caller.

How well things would work out remains to be seen, but it doesn't look like they'll be aiming for a high draft pick, whatever the case.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

So long as the horizon is only next season I agree.

 

[tynimiller]

I keep waiting to hear Gute once Rodgers confirms he is staying to say “Packer fans must remember these decisions when dramatically dark days hit cap wise in the future.”

Lord knows tons of folks will complain then for us having nothing but are screaming to keep him and Adams and embracing all these restructures.

 

[KiDcUdI]

They had to make these moves whether Rodgers returns or not. Even if he retired we were looking at doing most of this.

That is how awfully the cap has been mismanaged. I said it last year that the team needed to take some of its medicine so this off-season wouldn’t be so severe.

Instead they elected to make it worse.

 

[swhitset]

They had to make these moves whether Rodgers returns or not. Even if he retired we were looking at doing most of this.

That is how awfully the cap has been mismanaged. I said it last year that the team needed to take some of its medicine so this off-season wouldn’t be so severe.

Instead they elected to make it worse.

It’s sucks that they lost to San Fran… but that does not make anything you say actually make sense. Why the heck should they have just layed down this past season just to free up cap space. They were a legitimate contender. If Rodgers does return, they will be again. When he leaves, we will take that medicine and then move on.

 

[Dantés]

They had to make these moves whether Rodgers returns or not. Even if he retired we were looking at doing most of this.

That is how awfully the cap has been mismanaged. I said it last year that the team needed to take some of its medicine so this off-season wouldn’t be so severe.

Instead they elected to make it worse.

That’s not correct. If they wanted to tear it down and rebuild, they did not have to to do these restructures.

 

[Packerbacker1996]

To be honest I hope Rodgers has made up his mind and the management is aware of his decision and all they are doing is finalizing details being a trade or his contract extention, otherwise Rodgers is hurting the team since free agency has started and important decisions need to be made about whom to leg go and who to bring in etc.. and most of this hinges on his decision.

I'm guessing they already know and we will know monday-tuesdsy.

 

[OldSchool101]

To be honest I hope Rodgers has made up his mind and the management is aware of his decision and all they are doing is finalizing details being a trade or his contract extention, otherwise Rodgers is hurting the team since free agency has started and important decisions need to be made about whom to leg go and who to bring in etc..

Free Agency starts March 16 (beyond the usual couple day tampering period beforehand). There’s a 95% chance we will know Rodgers future plans during the 1st two weeks in March.
My guess is the news will drop before the 2nd week of March

 

[Sunshinepacker]

The Packers are making these moves with the expectation that Rodgers is coming back. I don't think they've been told by anyone that Rodgers is coming back but if they clear a bunch of space and the Packers, for whatever reason, decide to move on from Rodgers, then they've created a ton of cap space this year by pushing out other players' deals; well, with a lot of space this season they can then fill that space with money owed to other players in the future. They haven't spent any extra money, just pushed the bill down the road. They can use the money freed up this year to either pay Rodgers OR move future payments into this season. If Rodgers is not part of the Packers plan this season then I'm all for them just taking a massive bath this year and getting things set up for when they find the next great QB to lead this team (while I hope it's Love I still doubt it will be).

Any way you look at, no team wins double digit games 6 out of 8 years without getting into cap trouble unless they luck into an amazing rookie QB.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

This offseason has been framed by many as being about a choice between keeping Aaron Rodgers or entering a rebuild.

But the signals from the Packers' front office is that the latter isn't part of the plan even if the former doesn't come to fruition.

With restructures to Kenny Clark, David Bakhtiari, and Aaron Jones, the Packers have free up 22M in cap space for 2022. Now that makes plenty of sense if they're keeping Rodgers on board and running it all back. But they don't know if Rodgers is coming back yet, and they're doing it anyways.

What that says is that the Packers are going to be striving to put out a winner with or without Rodgers. A team preparing to rebuild would not be mortgaging the future with contract restructures. So either Rodgers is back with virtually an identical supporting cast, or the team is putting as much talent as it possibly can around a new signal caller.

How well things would work out remains to be seen, but it doesn't look like they'll be aiming for a high draft pick, whatever the case.

I'm absolutely convinced the Packers fully expect Rodgers to be back for the 2022 season. Otherwise they wouldn't have made those moves to create cap space.

They had to make these moves whether Rodgers returns or not.

The Packers could have made other moves to get under the cap. The ones they made strongly indicate Rodgers will be back.

To be honest I hope Rodgers has made up his mind and the management is aware of his decision and all they are doing is finalizing details being a trade or his contract extention, otherwise Rodgers is hurting the team since free agency has started and important decisions need to be made about whom to leg go and who to bring in etc.. and most of this hinges on his decision.

I'm guessing they already know and we will know monday-tuesdsy.

As mentioned repeatedly, the moves the Packers have made over the past few days strongly indicate they know Rodgers will be back.

 

[tynimiller]

All signs indicate the team believes Rodgers is coming back...and if he doesn't the can kicking they just did on Bakh, Jones and Clark make rebuilding/reloading/building around a new QB into the future much more difficult...so honestly at this point even someone like me that is leaning to an amicable breakup between us and Rodgers is thinking he better come back.

 

[Dantés]

I'm absolutely convinced the Packers fully expect Rodgers to be back for the 2022 season. Otherwise they wouldn't have made those moves to create cap space.

I lean towards that being the outcome as well, but the fact that they're making all this room without his situation being resolved indicates to me that, whether he comes back or not, they will be working hard to win (rather than rebuild) in 2022.

 

[OldSchool101]

He’s coming back. All signs are pointing that direction. I think Rodgers and the brass have mended the torn threads. We get can 1 maybe 2 more seasons with our core group and it’s highly likely we finish a #4 seed or better again.

We would be wise to consolidate draft selections to move up the board some at areas where we need more immediate help. Particularly for players that are more refined before day 3 and that are likely to win early playing time.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

I lean towards that being the outcome as well, but the fact that they're making all this room without his situation being resolved indicates to me that, whether he comes back or not, they will be working hard to win (rather than rebuild) in 2022.

I truly believe the Packers already know Rodgers will be back for the 2022 season. Otherwise the moves made should be considered mind-boggling at best.

 

[Dantés]

I truly believe the Packers already know Rodgers will be back for the 2022 season. Otherwise the moves made should be considered mind-boggling at best.

That's possible, but what's also possible is that they've decided to build as much as possible around Love or some other QB in 2022 in the contingency that Rodgers isn't back.

 

[tynimiller]

That's possible, but what's also possible is that they've decided to build as much as possible around Love or some other QB in 2022 in the contingency that Rodgers isn't back.

I disagree, you don't bloat an already issue contract of Bakh's and Jones to a small degree....Clark I expect to get an extension and this restructure will wash out in the wash.

 

[Dantés]

I disagree, you don't bloat an already issue contract of Bakh's and Jones to a small degree....Clark I expect to get an extension and this restructure will wash out in the wash.

You do if you want to creat space and build around a young QB to give him the best chance to succeed.

 

[Pugger]

That's possible, but what's also possible is that they've decided to build as much as possible around Love or some other QB in 2022 in the contingency that Rodgers isn't back.

All of these moves they are making to keep Rodgers speaks volumes about how they feel about Love and his progress so far.

 

[OldSchool101]

All of these moves they are making to keep Rodgers speaks volumes about how they feel about Love and his progress so far.

While that may be true. I’m speaking to the obvious when I say we have a HOF QB who was initially thought to be slightly regressing based on his stats just a few seasons ago. Then he gets some fire under his seat and he’s suddenly peak MJ

We’re comparing that peak play with a Novice QB, who btw I don’t believe anyone thought would be ready until Aarons Contract expired (at best).

My point is I don’t think the Packers brass were ever on some natural performance high with Love to start. Thus this “disappointment” some fans speak of is more contrived than an accurate representation of team executives’ expectations.

I believe our staff simply saw (albeit in raw form)of what Love was capable of in small chunks as a young College Sophomore. It’s quite reasonable that they saw the inconsistencies and thought those could be fixed over time.

In Love’s defense. Is 1 FULL NFL season (2 training camps/ half of 3 Preseason games etc..) enough to mold a QB who played 2.5 seasons in college?

 

[realitybytez]

They had to make these moves whether Rodgers returns or not. Even if he retired we were looking at doing most of this.

That is how awfully the cap has been mismanaged.

truth.

 

[realitybytez]

With restructures to Kenny Clark, David Bakhtiari, and Aaron Jones, the Packers have free up 22M in cap space for 2022.

they have not "freed up" any cap space at all. all they have done is made us a little less over the cap. there's a long way to go.

 

[tynimiller]

All of these moves they are making to keep Rodgers speaks volumes about how they feel about Love and his progress so far.

LOL not at all. It is a sign of a team trying to keep an MVP caliber player at the most crucial position in the end of his career...they could think Love might someday be MVP caliber, but they know that isn't happening in 2022.

 

[gopkrs]

LOL not at all. It is a sign of a team trying to keep an MVP caliber player at the most crucial position in the end of his career...they could think Love might someday be MVP caliber, but they know that isn't happening in 2022.

I agree with you but personally, I would rather get some draft picks. I see the current re-structuring as keeping us in the game either way. But hell to pay when ARod leaves and not much teamwise to show for it.

 

[Pugger]

LOL not at all. It is a sign of a team trying to keep an MVP caliber player at the most crucial position in the end of his career...they could think Love might someday be MVP caliber, but they know that isn't happening in 2022.

We are saying the same thing but you expressed it better than I did. lol

 

[tynimiller]

I agree with you but personally, I would rather get some draft picks. I see the current re-structuring as keeping us in the game either way. But hell to pay when ARod leaves and not much teamwise to show for it.

You know I prefer that myself honestly, as much as it would suck post-Rodgers possibly for a while.

We are saying the same thing but you expressed it better than I did. lol

That's fair and I get it.