Aaron Rodgers Writes Heartfelt Instagram Post After Packers Cut Jordy Nelson

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers bid farewell to wide receiver Jordy Nelson on Tuesday after the team announced the 32-year-old had been released. 

"Hard to find the right words today to express what 87 means to me," Rodgers wrote on Instagram. "No teammate exemplified what it means to be a packer quite like him. From living in GB full time, his incredible contributions to the city, state, and region, to his consistent, reliable play on the field. Definitely a sad day and the toughest part of this business. There will never be another quite like white lightning."

Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst also thanked Nelson for his contributions to the club. 

"We cannot thank Jordy enough for all that he has given the Green Bay Packers and our community for the past 10 years," he said in the team's release. "He has been an exemplary professional and teammate and greatly contributed to our success. Jordy will always be a member of the Packers family and we look forward to his eventual induction into the Packers Hall of Fame. We wish Jordy, his wife Emily, and the rest of their family all the best."

The Packers selected Nelson in the second round of the 2008 draft, and he started to morph into one of the league's premier pass-catchers at the start of the next decade. 

All told, Nelson caught 550 passes for 7,848 yards and 69 touchdowns during his time with the Packers. 

According to Pro Football Reference, the Kansas State product joined Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant, Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski as the only players to register at least 4,000 receiving yards and 60 touchdowns between 2010-2017. 

However, the 2017 season represented a step back for Nelson as he mustered 53 receptions for 482 yards and six touchdowns with Brett Hundley under center for nine starts in place of the injured Rodgers. 

Nelson also appeared to a lose a step two years removed from ACL surgery. 

That said, it doesn't sound like he's pondering retirement. 

Citing a source, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Nelson "wants to continue playing" and will explore his options on the open market.