Packers CEO Mark Murphy ‘very hopeful’ for contract extension with Aaron Rodgers

The parameters have pretty well been set.

Thanks largely to the five-year, $30-million contract extension quarterback Matt Ryan recently signed with the Atlanta Falcons, the Green Bay Packers now figure to have a clearer path to getting a similar deal done with their quarterback, Aaron Rodgers.

‘I don’t think there’s anything really to wait for now’

At least, that’s what Packers president and chief executive officer Mark Murphy is hoping.

“I’m very hopeful,” Murphy told Alex Marvez on Late Hits at the NFL spring meeting in Atlanta. “I don’t think there’s anything really to wait for now. All the (NFL’s other major quarterback) contracts have been done. I’m very optimistic that Russ Ball, our vice president who handles all of our negotiations, that he and David Dunn, Aaron’s agent, can figure out a way to get this done in a way where Aaron is compensated to the level he should be, yet we still can compete for Super Bowl championships.

‘Aaron wants to be compensated well, but he’s also extremely driven to win championships’

“And, really, we both want that. Obviously, Aaron wants to be compensated well, but he’s also extremely driven to win championships and you like to see that in your players.”

Murphy has so far been thrilled with the work of the Packers’ new general manager, Brian Gutekunst. But he acknowledges the fact Gutekunst, who was promoted from director of player personnel, had big shoes to fill in replacing Ted Thompson.

‘It’s not easy to step into shoes and to follow somebody like Ted’

“It’s been a big change and, obviously, Ted for so many years has done such a great job for us,” Murphy said. “But I was really pleased with Brian, I’m very proud of him. It’s not easy to step into shoes and to follow somebody like Ted, but I think Brian learned from him. Ted has been his mentor and I was very pleased, particularly with the draft. It wasn’t too big for (Gutekunst) and I thought he handled it well.”