Aaron Rodgers, What now?

Aaron Rodgers has one touchdown pass to a first-round receiver, Mercedes Lewis, He is 36 years old, making over 20 million a year and has two years left on his contract. Green Bay got smashed in the playoffs against San Francisco, with every one of their weakness exposed. But Green Bay was also 13-3 under 1st-year coach Matt Lefleur and won the division. Presumed this offseason, they were going to get help for Rodgers and not a backup quarterback.

For every Packer fan, the failure in the 2019 playoff reinforced the notion they are just one player away, but in reality, not so much. In the upcoming season, they return most of their players and will still be in the mix in the NFC, and any team with Aaron Rodgers has a chance to win it all. All those factors delight Packers fan, but close examination exposed the formula that in 2019 helped them succeed. They will have a harder schedule, Rodgers played all 16 games for the first time, and the defense stayed relatively healthy all season. Of the 11 starters on defense heading into the season missed a total of four games all campaign. Darnell Savage missed two games, Kevin King missed one game, and B.J. Goodson lost one after stepping in for Burks.

 The rest of the NFC has gotten fierce. Tampa Bay will be better, Carolina will be better, Saints added big-time veterans Saunders and Jenkins, The 49ers reloaded with more young talent, Washington with a new coaching staff poised to rebound. Finally, in their division, Minnesota got younger and faster on defense. Green Bay, as it has become customary, did not make any significant trades for playmakers (with Brandin Cooks and Deandre Hopkins both traded). In the draft, when it was assumed they would go after one of the top wide receivers, they opted to take a backup quarterback stunning the entire NFL. The defense gave up six rushing yards per play last season with the eagles, and 49ers both exploited their weak run defense. The Packers had the 23rd best rushing defense in the league. Green Bay succeed on defense forced the league’s third-highest interception rate and was fourth-best in holding teams in the red zone to field goals. Both of those statistics as vital as they are are difficult to repeat. 

 With so many defensive tackles in the free-agent market, they failed to land one, the big pieces they need are still out there. They could have drafted Patrick Queen as a linebacker to replace losing linebackers Martinez and Kirksey. On offense, Devante Adams always hurt, and it was becoming imperative to get another receiver as Rodgers needed help and couldn’t keep relying on undrafted receivers to get help. It’s hard to argue that Rodgers ahs had a high receiving core; as a matter of fact, you can say that for a decade now, Green Bay has needed receivers. Jimmy Graham helped, but he’s up and age and seems his best years are behind. Now Jimmy is gone, and offensive tackle Beluga is gone too.

Right now, Green Bay projected to go 10-6.

If you are Aaron Rodgers, do you finish your career with an organization that, for over a decade, never got you help or made the big trade? It makes you wonder why they have not at least entertained the idea of Antonio brown, deal for OBJ, or even considered Dez Bryant. 

Brett Favre came out a few days ago and said Rodgers was upset and won’t finish his career in Green Bay. Why would he stay this organization that gave Mccarthy too many years and never got him help?

From my perspective, I would not be surprised if Rodgers leaves after two years, I think if Justin Herbert does not work out with the Chargers, Rodgers has a house in Malibu or Raiders go for a change and finally what about the New York Giants getting tired of Daniel Jones. We are in an age where big-time quarterbacks change teams look Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Rodgers has to ask himself does he want to end with an organization that can not even spend a first-round draft pick on a wide receiver or also makes a trade to get him help. There is no doubt he will be a Hall of Famer and break numerous passing records, he is one of the greats. But wouldn’t another Super Bowl put him in another stratosphere of great quarterbacks?

It was not just drafting love in the 1st round, it’s the years of neglect and relying on Rodgers to win. Sometimes being significant needs help, ask Brady.