Report: Rodgers seeks opt-out

GREEN BAY - While Green Bay Packers fans await word on a contract extension for Aaron Rodgers — which team officials have been saying they expect to come soon — the ongoing saga has taken another twist.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported that Rodgers would like some sort of out clause in an extension that would allow him to renegotiate a new deal should he again be surpassed as the NFL’s highest-paid quarterback.

Ian Rapoport, Garafolo’s colleague at NFL Network, stoked the fires of the report Saturday, tweeting “Yup. A proposed contract would include a series of player options. Should be fascinating.”

However, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports pointed out, the Packers have little incentive to agree to such terms, given that he’s under contract for two more seasons and subject to the franchise tag for two seasons after that.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk chimed in, noting that whatever Rodgers gets in his new deal is certain to be leapfrogged by another quarterback eventually.

Matt Ryan became the NFL’s first $30 million a year player when the Atlanta Falcons extend ed his contract in early May. Following on the heels of the Minnesota Vikings giving Kirk Cousins a fully guaranteed threeyear, $84 million contract in March, it cleared the decks for Rodgers to assume his place at the top of the QB salary list.

Rod gers is entering the fourth year of a fiveyear, $110 million contract extension he signed April 26, 2013. He is sched uled to make a base salary of $19.8 million this year and $20 million in 2019. He has per-game roster bonuses each year worth a maximum of $600,000 and workout bonuses of $500,000.

Pete Dougherty of PackersNews.com wrote after Ryan’s d eal that “the best guess is that Rodgers’ impending contract extension will average between $31 million and $32 million in new money to Ryan’s $30 million, and includ e a full guarantee in the $110 million range, which would top Ryan’s $100 million guarantee.”

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said in early May that he thought Rod gers’ d eal could get done soon.

“We’re pretty confid ent that this is something that’s taking its normal course, its normal time,” Gutekunst told ProFootballTalk Live.