The Green Bay Packers had one hell of an offseason. To say it was drama-filled doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface. Even with all the tension during the offseason, the Packers are still a favorite in the NFC. Back-to-back NFC Championship Game appearances say they have a shot.
One thing about the Packers is their drama centered around on-the-field issues and not outside distractions. If you’re a Packers fan and want to take that as a positive, I’ll give you that one.
Now Green Bay looks to regroup from its Aaron Rodgers vs. The Front Office saga in hopes of making it back to the Super Bowl for the first time in over a decade. And let’s be honest, there is enough blame to be thrown around on both sides, but all the Green Bay drama circled around the presence of Mr. Rodgers.
Both sides have since come to a compromise where Rodgers got his money, and the Packers get to claim the quarterback’s service for one more season. They’ll be right back at it again next offseason, I’m sure.
Rodgers was able to get one of his favorite receiving targets back into the fold in veteran Randall Cobb. The 2014 Pro-Bowl wide receiver spent the last two years playing for the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans in the Lone Star State. At 31 years of age, playing with his buddy Rodgers again may be just what Cobb needs to bounce back after missing six games with a toe injury last season in Houston.
Rodgers attempted to test his pull even more by joining Cobb and David Bakhtiari on social media in petitioning the team to bring back linebacker Clay Matthews. Like most, I’m sure general manager Brian Gutekunst simply ignored this request and acted like he never saw it.
With all the issues settled (hopefully) for the time being, the Packers look to the start of the regular season. Can this team get back on track and pick up where it left off last season? The Packers won 13 games, Rodgers took home his third league MVP, yet they suffered another defeat in the NFC title game.
Adding Cobb to their weaponry along with First-Team All-Pro Davante Adams should guarantee another MVP caliber year for Rodgers. But Cobb alone won’t be enough of an upgrade to catapult this team past Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ultimately, the Bucs are the team every other team in the NFC is chasing. Devin Funchess is another wide receiver signed by the Packers in the offseason, and he’s already on the injured reserve list. Reports are Funchess could miss the entire 2021 season. The Packers also drafted wide receiver Amari Rodgers in the third round. Indeed, Rodgers would have liked a first-round wideout as well, but Amari is expected to contribute to this up-tempo offense.
Instead, the Packers opted for defense in the first round, taking Eric Stokes, a defensive back. A solid pick since they do need help at the cornerback position. Again, you just wonder if any of their moves will be enough for a Super Bowl run.
Being competitive year-after-year is great, but eventually, you want to break through. Rodgers is now 0-4 in NFC championship Games since the Packers won it all in 2010-11. Rodgers turns 38 in December, and who knows how much longer he’ll play. We can’t start expecting every QB to play into his mid-40s like Brady. No matter how great the QB might be. There are too many variables involved with the game of football for us to assume this.
Rodgers was also flirting with becoming a game show host, after all. Though, it is possible he only used Jeopardy as leverage with the Packers. There are no guarantees Rodgers plays another five or even three more years in the NFL. Which is the entire reason behind the drama. The Packers were looking forward to the future. You can’t blame them.
Right now, Matt LaFleur and the Packers need to be focused on maximizing Rodgers this year. Whether he comes back next year or not doesn’t matter currently. It will be a real shame for the Packers to have fallen into two all-time great QBs back-to-back and manage to win only one Super Bowl with each of them.
Talk about wasting a talent’s career prospects. If the Packers can’t at least get Rodgers back to another Super Bowl, they’ll have done exactly that.
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
