Aaron Rodgers Reiterates Trusting Packers' Process: I Know My Role

-- There's no secret behind it now: Aaron Rodgers knows his role, and he said as much on Tuesday.

After a morning filled with speculation of growing tension between Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers' front office, including a report from Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson indicating Rodgers was "emotional" over being left out of personnel decisions, the Packers' starting quarterback quickly put to bed any lingering doubt during open availability as the team reported to the facility for the start of the spring program.

"I think I know my role, and that's to play as well as I possibly can at quarterback," Rodgers said. "There are decisions that are going to be made. From a personal standpoint, that's the toughest part. You're in this business for a long time, you start relationships with coaches, new players.

"As you get older -- and I knew this as a young player -- if I had the possibility and success to play a long time, I'd probably outlive a lot of close friends in this business. Because the longevity offered to a quarterback is obviously greater than a guy who's banging heads all the time, or running all over the field. So that's the toughest part about the whole thing, is losing guys over the years."

Rodgers went on the record earlier this offseason to call the Packers' latest personnel moves under new G.M. Brian Gutekunst's regime "a little strange."

He told ESPN Radio's Golic & Wingo in February that the departure of his former quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt and lack of initiative to renew his contract was "an interesting change," specifically without consulting him.

Then the Packers released Jordy Nelson, who gradually became Rodgers' primary receiving target after being drafted in 2008, the same year Rodgers first took the reigns as the team's starting quarterback. Nelson, now an Oakland Raider, was released without Rodgers being considered in the transaction.

"This is a professional environment, but as humans, we have personal connections to people. Obviously, [Nelson] was one of my closest friends in the locker room for a number of years, and [we] played together for a long time and talked about really finishing his career here and together, and making the most of the opportunities.

"That's the disappointment, is when you get close to your teammates and they're not here anymore. Especially when they're not here and they're playing somewhere else. Again,the organization is making decisions they feel like are in the best interest of our team and you've got to trust the process."

Had Rodgers been addressed and considered in Nelsons' release, would it have made all the difference? It was evident the Packers were ready to move on from the 32-year-old wide receiver considering their intent to restructure Nelson's deal to just above the 10-year veteran minimum of roughly $1 million dollars.

The mantra is that players play and coaches coach. The same level of thinking likely applies to the operations in the front office, and that could very well be why Rodgers was kept out of said operations. Rightfully, he knows his place and knows his consistent, generational level of play is going to be good enough to net him the largest contract in NFL history very soon.

"I know my role, and that's to play quarterback the best that I can," Rodgers reiterated.

"The team is going to try and put the right guys in place; the right coaches in place, the right players in place. You just have to trust the process. As we've talked about over the years, this process works, and it has worked for Mike McCarthy for a number of years. Obviously, that's why he's still here in his 13th season. We've had a lot of success here -- you've got to trust the process."

There's still a lot of time for the Packers to strike an extension with Rodgers, and it has been reported multiple times throughout the offseason that the two sides are close and very willing to negotiate a deal.

The goal behind Rodgers' next massive contract is to keep him as the league's highest-paid quarterback -- not just until next season. The Packers' financial guru, Russ Ball, has his work cut out for him in making sure the salary is balanced out through each year -- for however many years the extension is worth -- to keep Rodgers at the top of the food chain.

As it stands at the moment, Rodgers' $22 million annual salary ranks ninth for his position. There's still incentive for both sides to strike a deal sooner rather than later, but there's also certainly no rush, given Rodgers' contract runs through next season.

__________________________

Zachary Jacobson is a staff writer/reporter for Cheesehead TV. He's the voice of The Leap on iTunes and can be heard on The Scoop KLGR 1490 AM every Saturday morning. He's also a contributor on the Pack-A-Day Podcast. He can be found on Twitter via @ZachAJacobson or contacted through email at [email protected].

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Comments (13)

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Johnblood27's picture

April 17, 2018 at 05:50 pm

I guess this report negates your aforementioned article?

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TKWorldWide's picture

April 17, 2018 at 09:20 pm

“Aforementioned”!
Well played, sir!!

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ZacharyJacobson's picture

April 17, 2018 at 10:59 pm

I see what you're trying to do, but that article you're referencing wasn't brought up to begin with, so "aforementioned" doesn't make sense here. ;)

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TKWorldWide's picture

April 18, 2018 at 06:35 am

Don’t muddy the waters with facts. ;)

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Since'61's picture

April 17, 2018 at 06:29 pm

This is why I don’t pay attention to off season rumors/innuendos and speculation. Hate to say I told you so, but...
Thanks, Since ‘61

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TKWorldWide's picture

April 17, 2018 at 07:13 pm

I don’t.
I told you so!
~~~~

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Lare's picture

April 17, 2018 at 07:34 pm

I'm guessing Rodgers is "Frustrated" and "Emotional" over constantly having to put up with fake media reports citing anonymous sources.

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TKWorldWide's picture

April 17, 2018 at 09:21 pm

‘‘Tis most exhausting, indeed!

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Tundraboy's picture

April 17, 2018 at 09:28 pm

Thou art in rare form.

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TKWorldWide's picture

April 18, 2018 at 06:05 am

I’ll be here all week!

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Since'61's picture

April 18, 2018 at 07:56 am

TK you are magnificent!! Thanks, Since '61

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croatpackfan's picture

April 18, 2018 at 03:18 am

At the moment I read that some guy said that Aaron is unahappy with some Personnel Department decisions and that is confirmed by another unknown "reliable" source, while both was supported by no name NFL official, I put away all kind of discussion related to "unhappiness" or "tension" or "discontent".

I did not tell you so, but I took the report with big reserve. That is all...

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Bearmeat's picture

April 18, 2018 at 08:39 am

It's a non-denial denial. And if you watch the video, he's pretty clearly unhappy.

I don't buy it.

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