Monday Musings: Ranking Rodgers
I‘m old enough to recall when the NFL wouldn’t permit network pregame shows to mention point spreads, and now gambling is as big a part of the game as awful officiating. Speaking of which, that sure feels like a dangerous combination that’s eventually going to bite the league in the ass. Anyway, here are some Packers-related thoughts that ran through my mind in recent days:
1) After winning his first Super Bowl at age 28, it seemed possible that Aaron Rodgers would secure enough titles in his career to overtake Tom Brady as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. That never happened, as the gap between the two only widened in the ensuing dozen years. So where does Rodgers currently rank among the all-time greats? That’s obviously subjective, but I’d place him behind Brady, Joe Montana, John Elway, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Mahomes and just ahead of Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Drew Brees, and Ben Roethlisberger. And while finishing sixth among all the quarterbacks who’ve played the position in the past 50+ years is very impressive, it’s nevertheless a little disappointing considering how things appeared when Rodgers triumphantly left the field at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Feb. 6, 2011. Of course, assuming he doesn’t retire in the next few weeks, there’s still time for the future first-ballot Hall of Famer to crack the top five. What uniform he’ll be wearing as he attempts to make his way up the list remains to be seen.
2) Allen Lazard sounded resigned to leaving the Packers when he met with reporters after the final game of the season. That’s because the 27-year-old already knew he’d almost certainly be playing elsewhere in the fall. As much as coach Matt LaFleur appreciates Lazard’s dependability as a possession receiver and physicality as a blocker, there’s very little chance Green Bay will be able to afford the former Iowa State star. With so many teams flush with cap space and so few decent wide receivers hitting the open market next month, Lazard will probably command at least $10 million per year. While that seems extremely pricey for a player who caught only 60 passes for 788 yards as Rodgers’ favorite target last season, it’s important to remember that 1/3 of the league will be running some version of the Shanahan/McVay scheme, which puts a premium on receivers who can plant a defender in the ground on first down and keep the chains moving on third down.
3) The Eagles are extremely talented at the skill positions, but what really separates them from the Packers are the big guys in the trenches. While left tackle David Bakhtiari, left guard Elton Jenkins, and defensive tackle Kenny Clark are three of Green Bay’s top seven players, none would even be a lock to start for the NFC champions. If Brian Gutekunst wants to build a roster that can win a Super Bowl, he needs to start prioritizing size over speed. Since being hired as general manager five years ago, Devonte Wyatt is the only lineman drafted by the Packers in the first round, and he made almost no impact as a rookie this season. While overachievers like guard Jon Runyon, tackle Yosh Nijman, and defensive end Dean Lowry are nice stories and easy players to root for, they wouldn’t get on the field for either of the teams in last week’s NFC title game. In fact, they would’ve had a hard time making Philly or San Francisco’s 53-man roster.
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