New league year begins for Packers with start of…

GREEN BAY – The biggest domino of the Packers’ offseason fell into place on Tuesday when Green Bay signed four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a contract extension.

With Rodgers primed for an unprecedented 18th season with the team, the Packers officially begin the new league year at 3 p.m. CT. At that time, NFL clubs may enter into formal agreements with outside free agents following the two-day negotiating window.

The Packers have 22 players with expiring contracts, including 13 unrestricted free agents who will count towards the compensatory formula if they sign elsewhere in the coming days and weeks.

In addition to their veterans with expiring deals, the Packers have one restricted free agent (receiver Allen Lazard) who will require one of the three free-agent tenders to remain with the team: first round, second round or right of first refusal.

All three tenders give the Packers the ability to match any offer sheet a restricted free agent executes with another NFL team. If Green Bay declines to match, it would receive draft-pick compensation corresponding to the tender the player received.

The Packers also have seven exclusive-rights free agents (players with fewer than three accrued NFL seasons), who can be retained with a one-year tender at the league minimum.

Here’s the full list of the Packers’ pending free agents. This will be updated throughout the offseason as deals are announced by NFL clubs:

Unrestricted free agents (13)

Restricted free agents (1)

Players who received a one-year tender (first round, second round and right of first refusal), which allows Green Bay to match any free-agent contract the player would sign or receive draft-pick compensation corresponding to the first two tenders. There is no compensation for the lowest tender.

Exclusive rights free agents (8)

Players with fewer than three accrued NFL seasons who can be retained with a one-year tender at the league minimum.