Aaron Rodgers has not been with the Green Bay Packers this week for the start of organized team activities, and coach Matt LaFleur said he was not concerned.
LaFleur left open the possibility that Rodgers would participate in some of the OTAs, but stressed that it was voluntary and was Rodgers’ choice whether to attend.
“I talked to him for a while last night which was great — just to kind of update him on just where we are and go over a few, like we do every offseason,” LaFleur said. “There’s always tweaks to what you’re doing. But no, he’s in great spirits and it was a great conversation. But I wouldn’t anticipate seeing him at least this week.”
Rodgers is expected for the June 7-9 mandatory minicamp; he had previously said on The Pat McAfee Show that he would attend that session but also might come to Green Bay for a few of the OTAs.
“Aaron doesn’t need reps at this time of the year,” Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements said last week. “Obviously it’d be nice to have him here, but he’s seen these things 1,000 times and he’ll be ready to go when training camp starts.”
The Packers opened OTAs on Monday and held their first session open to reporters Tuesday. LaFleur said he spoke with Rodgers on Monday night and reported that the quarterback was “in good spirits.” He said they talked about “tweaks to the offense” they planned to make for this season.
Rodgers surprised the Packers with a visit to Lambeau Field during the conditioning phase of the offseason program last month and even took part in some of those drills. He had come to Wisconsin to attend a Milwaukee Bucks playoff game.
“He’ll be ready to go, he’ll be eager to go,” Clements said. “He’s just at a different stage of his career now, where he’s taking care of himself and working on what he thinks he needs to work on physically. He looked good when I saw him, so he’ll be ready to go.”
Last year, Rodgers skipped the entire offseason program, including the mandatory minicamp, while he contemplated his future with the Packers. This year’s absence comes under a much different tenor; Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million contract extension in March.
Jordan Love, the Packers’ 2020 first-round pick, will handle the starting quarterback reps during OTA practices.
