Time to Ponder: Was AR given a big contract too soon?

[packerbacker1234]

Look, this season isn't solely on AR. He has good stats, and with any semblence of a consistent defense, could have more wins.

However, there are four BIG things he has to step up and prove to garner the money, and contract, he got.

- Have a winning season.
- Make the playoffs.
- Win in the playoffs.
- Complete a late game winning drive under 2 minutes to win.

It's not all on him, and I think for a first year starter he has done well: But he clearly has not performed well enough to get payed like and elite QB. He has yet to have a winning season, and he hasn't come through in the clutch, despite several chances. I mention that, because a guy like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco seem to be able to do that just now, and they are rookie first year starters.

[Pacopete4]

Re: Time to Ponder: Was AR given a big contract too soon?

Look, this season isn't solely on AR. He has good stats, and with any semblence of a consistent defense, could have more wins.

However, there are four BIG things he has to step up and prove to garner the money, and contract, he got.

- Have a winning season.
- Make the playoffs.
- Win in the playoffs.
- Complete a late game winning drive under 2 minutes to win.

It's not all on him, and I think for a first year starter he has done well: But he clearly has not performed well enough to get payed like and elite QB. He has yet to have a winning season, and he hasn't come through in the clutch, despite several chances. I mention that, because a guy like Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco seem to be able to do that just now, and they are rookie first year starters.

You make some great points. Did we sign him too early, maybe? But I do know this.. he looks like he can become a good QB in this league so I think I'd rather have him signed now for a little less, than to pay him top dollar in two years if he does become a star. I think there was very little risk in his contract because most of the money was up front and we had money to use this year since we were so far below the cap... it just made sense a the time.

[red]

i do think we signed him pretty quick. he only had a few good games under his belt when we gave him top dollar

however, when a qb has a 2:1 td to INT ratio it should mean he's pretty decent

he just needs a lot of work on the 2 minute drill. he has all the other tools you would want in a qb

if we were to have a redo on the new contract, and do the same thing today, i would be fine with it

[arcilite]

Nope, his contract is cap and team friendly

[Merlin]

I think some things this season were done specifically by Thompson to throw things in Bret's face. The contract was one of them. I think it was too early to approach a contract with Rodgers and they were better off seeing him actually perform for a season. I don't think it affected his play but I do think paying that much for a QB on a losing team is ridiculous. His stats aren't "awesome", they are okay, good for a first year starter, 13M per year good? Not if we don't win games.

[ThunderDan]

Is this thread a joke?

The answer is no. We locked up a good QB. If you told me Brett's replacement would do this well in his first season I would have been extatic.

[Gunakor]

I think some things this season were done specifically by Thompson to throw things in Bret's face. The contract was one of them. I think it was too early to approach a contract with Rodgers and they were better off seeing him actually perform for a season. I don't think it affected his play but I do think paying that much for a QB on a losing team is ridiculous. His stats aren't "awesome", they are okay, good for a first year starter, 13M per year good? Not if we don't win games.

It's not 13 million per year. His cap cost this year was higher than it will be in the next few years, a tact TT often uses when extending players to keep this team out of the mess Sherman left us with. Here's the real scoop on his contract.

This season, he will make $12.9 million – that’s $320,000 of his original $680,000 base salary already paid under his old contract plus $12.58 million in new money to be paid the rest of the season, a sum that is guaranteed.

It means Rodgers will be paid more this season than his predecessor, Brett Favre, who will be paid $12 million by the New York Jets.

Rodgers also is guaranteed a $7.42 million roster bonus due next March, bringing the total guaranteed money to $20 million.

Because of next year’s guaranteed roster bonus, Rodgers has another relatively large salary-cap figure for next season of $9,652,500, even though his base salary will be only $680,000. Under the contract he signed as a rookie in 2005, his cap number for 2009 would have been $1,852,500.

Rodgers’ base salaries for the five new seasons will be: $6 million in 2010, $7.25 million in 2011, $8 million in 2012, $9.25 million in 2013 and $10.5 million in 2014.

The deal contains annual workout bonuses of $500,000 beginning in 2009. The salary-cap numbers beginning in 2010 are his annual base salary plus the $500,000 roster bonuses.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20081104/PKR01/81104193/1058

[Carolina_Packer]

If he was the reason the Packers aren't winning as they should be, given the talent they can field, then I might be inclined the think they signed him to a long-term deal too soon. But, he has performed pretty admirably under the circumstances, despite the overall record. If he could just play defense, I guess the Packers would be better off.

[Partial]

I think it was done with some false motives in mind. Let's keep in mind that TT was extremely adamant about seeing a second strong season from Javon Walker before showing him the money. While that deal looks good in retrospect, this is a 180 from TT's approach back then.

[Merlin]

I think some things this season were done specifically by Thompson to throw things in Bret's face. The contract was one of them. I think it was too early to approach a contract with Rodgers and they were better off seeing him actually perform for a season. I don't think it affected his play but I do think paying that much for a QB on a losing team is ridiculous. His stats aren't "awesome", they are okay, good for a first year starter, 13M per year good? Not if we don't win games.

It's not 13 million per year. His cap cost this year was higher than it will be in the next few years, a tact TT often uses when extending players to keep this team out of the mess Sherman left us with. Here's the real scoop on his contract.

This season, he will make $12.9 million – that’s $320,000 of his original $680,000 base salary already paid under his old contract plus $12.58 million in new money to be paid the rest of the season, a sum that is guaranteed.

It means Rodgers will be paid more this season than his predecessor, Brett Favre, who will be paid $12 million by the New York Jets.

Rodgers also is guaranteed a $7.42 million roster bonus due next March, bringing the total guaranteed money to $20 million.

Because of next year’s guaranteed roster bonus, Rodgers has another relatively large salary-cap figure for next season of $9,652,500, even though his base salary will be only $680,000. Under the contract he signed as a rookie in 2005, his cap number for 2009 would have been $1,852,500.

Rodgers’ base salaries for the five new seasons will be: $6 million in 2010, $7.25 million in 2011, $8 million in 2012, $9.25 million in 2013 and $10.5 million in 2014.

The deal contains annual workout bonuses of $500,000 beginning in 2009. The salary-cap numbers beginning in 2010 are his annual base salary plus the $500,000 roster bonuses.

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/.../81104193/1058

I don't see that changing Thompson's motive of the contract. The contract is excessive for a first year starting QB before the season is over. As I said I don't think that affected Rodgers play but I do think the motives for that contract were underhanded.

[Gunakor]

I think it was done with some false motives in mind. Let's keep in mind that TT was extremely adamant about seeing a second strong season from Javon Walker before showing him the money. While that deal looks good in retrospect, this is a 180 from TT's approach back then.

Maybe there was a seperate reason outside of football that TT wanted another year to gauge Walker's value. Or maybe TT is a prophet.

Or maybe TT has had more time to see Rodgers than he had with Walker, and decided based on what he saw that this was the right move.

[Pacopete4]

I think it was done with some false motives in mind. Let's keep in mind that TT was extremely adamant about seeing a second strong season from Javon Walker before showing him the money. While that deal looks good in retrospect, this is a 180 from TT's approach back then.

Maybe there was a seperate reason outside of football that TT wanted another year to gauge Walker's value. Or maybe TT is a prophet.

Or maybe TT has had more time to see Rodgers than he had with Walker, and decided based on what he saw that this was the right move.

maybe he really is a snake...

[Patler]

I think some things this season were done specifically by Thompson to throw things in Bret's face. The contract was one of them. I

Do you really think a highly paid executive, who has a job coveted by many in his profession, would make a 10s of millions of dollars decision just to spite Brett Favre?

Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.

[]{ilr]3]

I think all the team problems are because MM got Married and had Children

[Patler]

I think it was done with some false motives in mind. Let's keep in mind that TT was extremely adamant about seeing a second strong season from Javon Walker before showing him the money. While that deal looks good in retrospect, this is a 180 from TT's approach back then.

TT didn't know Walker. He had been on the job only a matter of a few off-season months when Walker made his demands. On the other hand, TT has been around Rodgers for 3 years and presumably knows him quite well.