Aaron Rodgers a no-show at Packers voluntary OTAs as he contemplates future with team, per report

Aaron Rodgers not showing up to a voluntary Green Bay Packers minicamp practice shouldn’t be a surprise, given his reported status of not wishing to return to the team. Per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Rodgers was a no-show on the first day of Phase Three of Packers OTAs — which are not mandatory — but Rodgers does forfeit a $500,000 workout bonus in his contract (not much considering Rodgers has a cap number of $37,202,000 this season). 

Rodgers is reportedly unhappy with the current status of the Packers, who have reached the NFC Championship Game in each of the last two seasons. Rodgers told some members within the Packers organization he does not want to return to the team and the organization is concerned about his feelings and had several high ranking-officials in the organization reach out to him at various points in the offseason. Rodgers has even contemplated retirement if the Packers are unable to trade him. 

Rodgers — who typically attends OTAs — likely won’t be dealt until after June 1 if the Packers decide to deal him. A post-June 1 deal saves Green Bay $22,850,000 in salary cap space for the 2021 season while Rodgers is owed three years and $105,406,000 remaining on his contract. 

If Rodgers did start a lengthy holdout, by not showing up to a voluntary minicamp, the Packers would have to move forward with Jordan Love as the starting quarterback and Blake Bortles as the No. 2. The situation may not be resolved until Rodgers is no longer in a Green Bay uniform, even though the Packers reportedly did try to make him the league’s highest-paid quarterback earlier this offseason.

Green Bay’s mandatory minicamp starts June 8 and runs through June 10. We’ll see if Rodgers shows up then.