PFT: Aaron Rodgers Trade Before June Would Open $6M in Cap Space for Packers

After Aaron Rodgers questioned his own future with the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted that trading away the star quarterback is financially viable for the team. 

The Packers would take on $31.556 million of dead cap in a theoretical trade this offseason, although Rodgers currently has a $37.572 million cap hit for 2021 if he remains on the roster. It means dealing him would clear $6.016 million.

Green Bay could also spread the dead cap across two seasons if the trade is designated after June 1. The team would take on $14.352 million in 2021 and $17.204 million in 2022 in this scenario, saving $23.22 million toward the cap next season, per Spotrac.

This has seemingly become a possibility after Rodgers' postgame quotes following the 31-26 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game.

"A lot of guys futures, they're uncertain, myself included," he told reporters.    

The MVP candidate was also cryptic about his future earlier in the week.

"I hope there's more opportunities, but I don't know. I really don't," he said. "That's outside of my control. My future is a beautiful mystery, I think."

Rodgers was as good as anyone in the NFL during the regular season, throwing 48 touchdown passes with only five interceptions while leading the league with a passer rating of 121.5. However, the Packers did select his presumptive replacement in the first round of last year's draft in Jordan Love.

Though Love is unproven, it could allow Green Bay to move on with a new quarterback and recoup significant draft capital in a Rodgers trade.

The saved money could also give the Packers more ways to improve the rest of the roster, which is seemingly needed after falling one game short of the Super Bowl for the second year in a row. 

Another option for Green Bay is to run it back with Rodgers for one more season trying to win it all before dealing the veteran in 2022. The quarterback would leave only $17.204 million in dead cap at that point, saving $22.648 million.

The 2022 season would then be Love's time to shine with what could be a very different-looking roster.