Rodgers re-upped his contract in 2019 and is signed through the 2023 season. He has consistently said he wants to play past 40. And, by most reports, he’s pissed about the Packers selecting Love. There is no evidence I’ve seen that he a) wants out and b) told the Packers that.
After some time digesting the draft and checking out the game tape for some of the new Packers, I’ve come around on the Packers draft. With this roster, they clearly were more concerned with the future than meeting the perceived immediate needs of the drafting community. Both Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams are in the last year of their rookie deals and Jones might price himself out, so drafting a RB for next year is wise. Adding depth on the O line with late round grinders means you only have to hit on one for it to be worth it. And once the third round of the draft came around, the odds of finding a WR who is better than the guys on the Packers roster is very unlikely (Hi Tyler Johnson!).
So, instead of the D- grade I would have given this draft for the Packers, I’m moving it up to a D.
It’s still such an enormous waste of resources to trade up in the first round for a guy who led the NCAA in interceptions, has so much bad tape out there, and shouldn’t see the field for at least 3, more likely 4 years. It’s still clearly over-rating the RB position to draft a bruising “3rd down and short” back with limited upside in the 2nd round, especially when Josh Jones, Jonah Jackson, and Julian Okwara were still available. And while versatility is nice, drafting a special teams/TE/H-back who fed on bad teams is still a waste when you want to win a Super Bowl in the next couple years. I’m all for planning for the future, but unless the future includes a throwback to smashmouth running game while all the opposing teams stop trying to run the football against you, this isn’t the team and this wasn’t the draft to pick these guys.
And, for the rest of the NFC North, I thought the Vikings had a fantastic draft, the Lions did alright, the Bears made one fantastic pick and the rest was a huge meh. I’m a bit concerned.
This is something I haven’t heard. I’ve heard a lot of talking heads give their opinions on his feelings, but I haven’t heard a single, even anonymous “close to Rodgers” source on it. Just Peter King, Chris Collinsworth, and Pat McAfee bleating.
Best tweet I saw said, “I’m sure Rodgers will treat him like family.”
Given that Rodgers has already called him, he’s already treating him better than his brother.
Rodgers described this situation best a month ago - “No matter who you bring in, they’re not going to be able to beat me out anytime soon.”
I think the Love pick is probably a year too early, and trading up to get him hurts my Ted Thompson tendencies of “draft 'em all, let God sort 'em out”. But all the “RODGERS HATES LOVE” shit is rumor-mongering and talking out the ass for attention at this point, all brought to you by the same group of people that swore Rodgers and LaFleur were probably going to stab each other before the season started last year. Pardon me if I don’t jump to believe hot takers. My guess, assuming the NFL happens, this’ll be “pretty fucking quiet” before November. And there will be a new rumor about Aaron Rodgers by April 2021, from the exact same bleaters.
I wonder if Rodgers has been thinking about the expanded season and playoffs and realizes there’s a decent chance he’ll be playing even more games as he gets older. That may cause him to want to hang it up earlier.
Rodgers will hang it up when he starts sucking, just like everyone else. Based on the last couple years that may be in 2 or 3 years, but the clock has started on it.
Packers do pick up a WR:
Brian