Aaron Rodgers is expected to sign a record-setting contract in the near future, but the star quarterback of the Green Bay Packers may want more than just top dollar.
According to the NFL Network, Rodgers could be seeking an opt-out clause in his next deal to prevent a recurrence of his current status after seeing a number of quarterbacks eclipse the five-year, $110 million extension he signed in 2013.
The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player and six-time Pro Bowl selection is scheduled to make $20.9 million in 2018 and $21.1 million in 2019.
However, those numbers pale in comparison to the contract recently signed by Atlanta's Matt Ryan -- a five-year, $150 million deal with $100 million guaranteed.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst recently went on record as saying that Rodgers will have a new contract in the near future. Green Bay was thought to be waiting for the Falcons to come to terms with Ryan prior to crunching the numbers for Rodgers.
Because Rodgers' salary now ranks 10th among quarterbacks, he is expected to be seeking more player control for his new deal, sources briefed on the negotiations told the NFL Network.
The 34-year-old Rodgers is coming off an injury-shortened 2017 season. He sustained a broken right collarbone that sidelined him for eight weeks, returned for one game and then was placed on injured reserve.
Rodgers passed for 1,675 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions over seven games in 2017, his 13th season in the NFL.
He ranks second all-time in franchise history in passing yards (38,502) and touchdowns thrown (313), trailing only the legendary Brett Favre in both categories (61,655 and 442, respectively).
