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The rumors of Aaron Rodgers heading to insert team here are over as the veteran quarterback has inked an extension with the Green Bay Packers. The Packers had mentioned that they were wanting to do whatever they could to get Rodgers to finish his career as a Packer and this new contract will do that. With the extension, Rodgers will now be under contract until 2026 when he will be 42 years old.
Fantasy football analysis: Aaron Rodgers return to Packers
How deal affects Rodgers
Rodgers is coming off his second consecutive MVP season and seems to have the momentum needed to try for a threepeat performance in 2022. The benefit of this move, even with its large cap hit, is that it leads to the franchise-tagging of wide receiver Davante Adams. With this deal done, the Packers will likely not be big spenders in free agency but should be in the market for an impact wide receiver in the NFL Draft.
Rodgers will still be a solid quarterback, but for fantasy, his relevancy hasn’t been sustained. He finished as the QB5 in 2021, which seems low for the MVP winner. He will certainly have value for fantasy, but don’t let him be a top-four quarterback off of your draft boards.
How deal impacts Davante Adams
On the heels of Rodgers’ new deal, reports began saying that the Packers are now likely to franchise tag wide receiver Davante Adams. He has been a top wide receiver in fantasy and if the tag is used on him, expect more of the same in 2022. He is due a big payday at some point, but the Packers likely wanted to get the deal with Rodgers done first to entice Adams into his own extension next season.
Adams hasn’t given the impression that he would refuse to play under the tag. Even if the Packers finally use some draft capital on a young wide receiver, Adams will continue to be Rodgers’ favorite target and he will sustain his value going forward.
How deal impacts the rest of the offense
The biggest factor this deal will play is in the future of the offense. Making Rodgers the highest-paid player in NFL history will add some monetary constraints to what the Packers are able to do in the future. For dynasty, I don’t know that I would be expecting a huge extension for AJ Dillon with this move.
For re-draft though, the rest of the offense should look very similar. Running back Aaron Jones should continue to be the starter in the backfield with Dillon splitting more carries with him. Tight end Robert Tonyan is a free agent, but he wasn’t used in the offense that much in 2021. All the other usual players that are fantasy relevant should be back in their same roles and it just remains to be seen what moves the Packers make in the upcoming NFL Draft to improve.