Packers’ president ‘hopeful’ for sorting things out with Rodgers
GREEN BAY, WIS. >> Green Bay Packers president/ CEO Mark Murphy remains hopeful quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the threetime MVP, will play for them this season, but says he doesn’t know whether Rodgers will arrive for the start of training camp.
“We’ve been in constant communication,” Murphy said Monday after the NFL’s only publicly owned team held its annual shareholders meeting. “It’s been obviously months. I’m hopeful that we can have it all resolved.”
Murphy’s comments followed an NFL Network report that Rodgers has indicated to people close to him he does plan to play for the Packers this season. ESPN later reported that Rodgers and the Packers were close to an agreement that would include voiding the 2023 season from his contract.
Rodgers’ agent, David Dunn, didn’t respond to a message seeking comment.
The Packers hold their first training camp workout Wednesday. Murphy said there’s no scenario under which the Packers would trade Rodgers. TEXANS WOULD TRADE WATSON NOW >> Neither Deshaun Watson nor the Houston Texans has much leverage in a trade now, but they’re seemingly counting on Watson’s talent to tilt the scales.
The Texans made it known through NFL Network that they are willing to trade Watson and have been listening to offers for some time. And their asking price in return is exorbitant,
per ESPN: a combination of five high draft picks and starting caliber players. Any package must include three first rounders, the league’s network said.
Watson, however, is facing 22 separate lawsuits alleging sexual assault and misconduct during massage sessions. So the Texans can posture publicly all they want.
WASHINGTON SIGNS DT ALLEN TO $72M, 4-YEAR EXTENSION >> Washington signed star defensive tackle Jonathan Allen on the eve of training camp to a $72 million, four-year contract extension with a $30 million signing bonus.
Allen’s agency, Team IFA, announced the terms of the deal in a Twitter post. Players are set to report to Washington’s training
camp Tuesday with the first practice session set for Wednesday.
College athletics
OU, TEXAS, LEAVING BIG 12 >> Oklahoma and Texas took the first formal step Monday toward moving to the Southeastern Conference, notifying the Big 12 they would not be renewing an agreement that binds the league’s members through 2025.
The schools sent out a joint statement that made no mention of the SEC and said “the universities intend to honor their existing grant of rights agreements.”
“However, both universities will continue to monitor the rapidly evolving collegiate athletics landscape as they consider how best to position their athletics
programs in the future,” the schools said.
NBA
SOURCE: PELICANS, GRIZZLIES MAKE DEAL >> The Memphis Grizzlies have agreed to trade center Jonas Valanciunas to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for center Steven Adams, guard Eric Bledsoe and a swap of multiple draft choices, a person familiar with the situation said.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no trade can become official until Aug. 6.
The trade, first reported by ESPN, sends New Orleans’ 10th and 40th overall draft choices to Memphis for the Grizzlies’ 17th and 51st overall picks this year.