Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers have one thing in common: Both were first-round picks in the 2005 draft.
They have something else in common. Both think the Packers are doing Rodgers a little dirty.
Smith, who has called Green Bay’s treatment of Rodgers “inexcusable,” elaborated on his position in a recent interview with USA Today.
“Clearly it’s not an ideal situation and not what it should be,” Smith said of Rodgers. “I think he’s due a certain level of communication and certain level of respect beyond the average player. And I don’t think that’s asking a whole lot just to communicate. . . .Clearly that didn’t happen over the last couple years.”
Smith, who played for three teams (he was traded twice) and umpteen coordinators, recognizes that Rodgers deserves consideration for his loyalty and commitment to the Packers.
“Here’s a guy who’s given 16 years to an organization, he’s been through a lot of changes there as well, he’s coming off maybe one of the greatest quarterback seasons ever, still playing at an incredibly high level,” Smith said. “You rewind to a year ago and all the talk was: ‘Is Aaron done? Is he on the decline? Yada yada yada.’ He played right through that. They’ve been on the doorstep of the Super Bowl the last couple years. So I think it’s hard. . . . The way people have been treated, he’s come out and said as much. So I think that’s important in any business — not just football, but in any business and especially team sport, it’s important how you treat people. Really, I think it hasn’t been ideal there. Hopefully they can get it figured out.”
It’s still unclear what it will take to figure it out. If it were easy, it already would be figured out.
The clock is ticking toward a resolution. Yes, Rodgers could opt out by next Friday and save more than $20 million. No, it’s not likely that Rodgers will do it. Regardless, no one knows what he plans to do. And many sense that he likes it that way.
