Aaron Rodgers will take up a shade under 18 percent of the Green Bay Packers’ salary cap space for the 2023 NFL season. That’s larger than any other quarterback’s cap hit this fall — and it’s especially notable because Rodgers won’t play a single down for the Packers.
The complex nature of NFL contracts means teams can be stuck accounting for players who are no longer on the roster. Trading or releasing a veteran doesn’t absolve a franchise from the guaranteed money it still owes him. Even retirement can offer little relief; the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have $35 million in sunk costs coming up this season as part of the privilege of rostering Tom Brady for his final three years.
