Report: Packers releasing Jake Kumerow was ‘death knell’ in relationship with Aaron Rodgers

Releasing Jake Kumerow at roster cutdowns last September did not sit with Packers QB Aaron Rodgers.

The latest in the evolving and escalating conflict between Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers might be the craziness bit of reported news yet.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Packers releasing receiver Jake Kumerow before the season last year “drove Rodgers nuts” and was “described as a little bit of a death knell in the relationship” between the quarterback and decision-makers in the organization.

Rodgers now wants out of Green Bay, although the Packers are committed to not trading him.

According to Rapoport, Rodgers wants more input in personnel decisions.

Unhappiness with the team’s decision on Kumerow’s roster status early last September looks like another bread crumb in the trail leading up to this point.

The Packers surprisingly released Kumerow during final cuts, and just one day after Rodgers publicly praised the veteran receiver and described him as a roster lock. The team decided to keep Malik Taylor over Kumerow, who was a favorite of Rodgers.

“Jake Kumerow has been such a solid performer for us for the last couple years,” Rodgers told Sirius XM NFL Radio, via PackersNews.com. “I love his reliability. I think he’s a fantastic, steady player who’s very heady on the field, he makes plays. He plays with a lot of confidence, and he’s a guy you love having on the squad.”

Kumerow caught 20 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns over two seasons in Green Bay. He was originally signed to the team’s practice squad in December of 2017.

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