Aaron Rodgers' offseason standoff produced a desirable result for both sides, but that doesn't mean everything is peachy between the quarterback and the front office.
Rodgers was asked about the status of his relationship with general manager Brian Gutekunst during a memorable press conference to open training camp and called it "professional." A week later, Rodgers offered an update when asked a second time.
"I think it's a work in progress. I think relationships aren't formed in a matter of a couple days," Rodgers said. "There's time where the respect grows and the communication follows. I think the greatest relationships that you have with your friends and loved ones involve conversations and flow. You can not talk to a close friend for a few months and pick up right where you left off.
"There's no break in communication, there's no forced conversations where you got to hit this person up because it's on your to-do list that day. It's all about wanting to have those conversations and wanting to be in conversation like that. We've had a couple conversations, they've been positive conversations."
Rodgers had a wish granted when the Packers promptly acquired former teammate Randall Cobb, bringing back someone Rodgers called "a true slot receiver" last week. The quarterback has had a week to get comfortable again with being in the building and on the field, working toward achieving goals Green Bay has come painfully short of reaching in the last two seasons. This type of activity has a way of making the off-field drama fade into the background, especially with a new target in sight and just enough runway available to build up toward takeoff.
Should the Packers succeed in 2021, perhaps Rodgers will find it easier to interact with Gutekunst, especially when it comes to long-term planning. If not, we could end up in another situation similar to the one that dominated headlines for much of the offseason.
For now, though, it's about football and the season ahead. The rest can be handled later.
