Tag: Rodgers

Former Packers QB says current Jets WR reminds him of former Packers WR

Who will be the better QB-WR combo in 2023? Rodgers and Wilson, or Love and Watson?

Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was traded to the New York Jets in April, recently said current Jets receiver Garrett Wilson reminds him of former Packers receiver Davante Adams, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.

“Davante is in a category by still, but that 17 reminds me of the other 17 as far as his ability to get out of breaks and his quick twitch at the line of scrimmage,” Rodgers said.

For Wilson, the comparison to Adams from Rodgers is the ultimate compliment.

In 2022, Wilson caught 83 passes for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie despite playing with three different starting quarterbacks.

This year, Wilson — an All-Rookie pick and the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year — will get a chance to establish himself as one of the league’s best receivers with Rodgers, a four-time MVP, throwing him the football.

Rodgers and Adams, a three-time All-Pro, connected for 68 touchdown passes while in Green Bay. Adams left Rodgers and the Packers in 2022 but still caught 100 passes for 1,516 yards and a league-high 14 touchdowns with the Raiders.

The physical skill with Wilson is evident. Getting on the same page as Rodgers, who wants his offense run a certain way on every play, will be key to the pair blossoming in 2023.

Meanwhile, new connections are forming in Titletown. Can Jordan Love and Christian Watson or Romeo Doubs quickly develop the rapport all great quarterback-receiver combinations need to be successful? Watson, who caught seven touchdowns as a rookie, including a 63-yarder from Love in Philadelphia, has star potential entering Year 2. Love is an unknown, but he’s a first-rounder who sat behind Rodgers for three years.

A potentially interesting comparison to track in 2023: Will Rodgers and Wilson or Love and Watson be the better quarterback-receiver combo? The obvious answer is Rodgers and Wilson, given the quarterback’s experience and Wilson’s incredible rookie season. But Love is a wildcard as a first-year starter and Watson’s finish to the 2022 season keeps the door open to the Packers having an incredibly productive quarterback-receiver combo this season.

Four former Packers make PFF’s top 30 players over age 30 list

Four of the best players in the NFL over the age of 30 are former Packers. The current Packers roster has only three players over 30.

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Former members of the Green Bay Packers make up a decent chunk of PFF’s recently constructed list of the top 30 players over the age of 30.

Receiver Davante Adams (No. 4), quarterback Aaron Rodgers (No. 9), outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith (No. 19) and center Corey Linsley (No. 26) — who all departed Green Bay in the last two years — landed on PFF’s list.

Linsley left in free agency following an All-Pro 2020 season, Smith was released in a cap-saving move following the 2021 season, Adams was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders for a first- and second-round pick and Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets for a second-round pick, a conditional 2024 pick and a swap of first-round and Day 3 picks.

Contractual or money problems played a role in the departure of all four players.

The Packers have only three players over the age of 30 on the roster and did not have a current player make PFF’s list. Left tackle David Bakhtiari was an honorable mention pick. The only other options were outside linebacker Preston Smith and punter Pat O’Donnell. Bakhtiari remains an elite left tackle when healthy but likely got dinged for his injury history over the last two seasons.

How did the Packers replace elite veterans?

Josh Myers was drafted in the second round of the 2021 draft and has been the preferred starter at center over the last two seasons. 2022 fourth-round pick Zach Tom is another option at center entering 2023.

2019 first-round pick Rashan Gary moved into Smith’s starting spot and became an elite disruptor, while Lukas Van Ness is a 2023 first-round pick to develop behind the veterans at edge rusher.

The Packers used one of the draft picks acquired in the Adams trade to move up in the second round of the 2022 draft to take Christian Watson, who scored nine touchdowns during his rookie season and is entering 2023 as the unquestioned No. 1 receiver in Green Bay.

And, of course, Jordan Love was selected with the 26th overall pick in the 2020 draft. He sat behind Rodgers for three seasons and will now start in 2023.

All great teams need elite veteran players. Replacing them is one of the biggest team-building challenges in football. Whether or not the Packers remain one of the NFL’s model franchises will depend on how well Matt LaFleur’s team rebounds from the experience and talent drain of the last few years.

The top player over 30 years old according to PFF is San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams. The reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles had a league-high four players on PFF’s list.

Two-play stretch in a tough spot sparked Packers offense vs. Bears

Up 10-7 in the first half, the Packers converted a 2nd-and-28 situation – and it sparked a pair of touchdowns to bust open the game.

A two-play stretch facing a tough spot in the second quarter helped spark the offense of the Green Bay Packers during Sunday night’s 27-10 win over the Chicago Bears.

Both Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur mentioned the importance of the sequence. After a 10-yard holding penalty on Royce Newman on first down and an 8-yard loss on a sack put the Packers into a 2nd-and-28 situation from the Chicago 42-yard line, Rodgers connected with rookie Romeo Doubs on a catch-and-run for 20 yards and then found Randall Cobb for nine yards on 3rd-and-8 to convert the first down and get the Packers into the red zone.

What was looking like a potential punt situation quickly turned into valuable points.

“The one big sequence that really turned this for us was the 2nd-and-28,” Rodgers said. “We got seven out of that, and that kind of turned the tide, confidence-wise and momentum-wise for us.”

Doubs gets credit for creating an explosive play on second down. He showed real burst as he weaved through defenders on a quick screen to pick up a big chunk of yards and give the Packers a chance on third down. Rodgers said the play was well-blocked ahead of Doubs.

Cobb did the rest. The Packers lined him up in the backfield, and the veteran slot receiver ran an angle route against linebacker Roquan Smith to open up a passing window. Rodgers made the throw, Cobb got past the sticks and the Packers kept driving. Rodgers called it a “nice route.”

Two plays after the third down conversion, Aaron Jones caught a pop pass from Rodgers and followed the block of A.J. Dillon to find the end zone from eight yards out and give the Packers a 17-7 lead.

Rodgers said they were “unexpected points” considering the situation.

The Bears could have gotten the ball back down 10-7. Instead, the Packers went up 10 points and then pushed the pedal down on offense.

On the next drive, the Packers traveled 67 yards in seven plays to extend the lead to 24-7.

In the second quarter, the Packers scored 21 points and ran away with the win.

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WATCH: Aaron Rodgers’ Jake Kumerow comments gets trolled at presser

The Aaron Rodgers-Packers-Jake Kumerow story lives on:

Throughout certain points of the Aaron Rodgers-Green Bay Packers saga this offseason the Buffalo Bills were connected.

It was in the ever so slightest way, as it surrounded Bills wide receiver Jake Kumerow.

Having a stellar summer himself currently in Buffalo, Kumerow was mentioned by Rodgers indirectly earlier this offseason at one point. Rodgers even called Kumerow the Packers’ “second-best wide receiver” during Green Bay’s training camp in 2020.

Fast forward to this week and ESPN writer Rob Demovsky decided to have a little fun with Rodgers.

In a recent chat with longtime NFL writer Peter King from NBC Sports, Rodgers praised depth tight end Bronson Kaufusi.

The reporter took over from there and in a press conference made reference to the Bills, who signed Kumerow after the Packers cut him last offseason.

“I can’t wait to see what Kaufusi does in Buffalo in this year,” was said to Rodgers prior to an actual question being asked. Even the QB had to give a little smile about it.

Check out the exchange here:

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Watch: Aaron Rodgers puts the Packers on the board with a ridiculous throw

Say what you want about Aaron Rodgers, but you cannot deny his arm talent

Say what you want about Aaron Rodgers, but it is hard to dispute his raw arm talent.

Trailing 3-0 early to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Rodgers made a throw under pressure downfield to Marquez Valdes-Scantling that has to be seen to be believed:

This is the kind of raw arm talent that you just cannot teach. Rodgers has pressure in his face and cannot step into this throw, so he throws it off his back foot from his own 14-yard line and the left hashmark. It drops into the hands of his receiver down at the Jaguars’ 35-yard line, outside the numbers on the right side of the field.

This is just an incredible throw.

Also, bonus points to Valdes-Scantling for how he uses the downfield official to aid his path to the end zone:

NFL team win total best bets: How many games will the Green Bay Packers win in 2020?

Assessing the Green Bay Packers’ projected win total for the 2020 NFL season, with best bets for their Over/Under.

How many games will the Green Bay Packers win in the 2020 NFL season? We look at BetMGM‘s projected win total and the Over/Under odds, while looking back at the 2019 season and key offseason roster changes.

Packers’ 2019 season

Record: 13-3 (1st in the NFC North)

Against the Spread Record: 10-6

Playoffs:  Clinched a first-round bye and entered the postseason as the 2-seed but lost at the 1-seed San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Conference Championship.

Packers’ 2020 offseason changes

Head coach Matt LaFleur enters his second season with the Packers, and after trading up in the first round to select QB Jordan Love it appears Green Bay is shifting into a new era.

Most NFL experts were stunned at the Packers’ 2020 NFL Draft strategy, deciding not to take a wide receiver in a deep receiver draft, and selecting two-down RB A.J. Dillon in the second round. When you add in the Packers’ three offensive linemen in the sixth round, it would appear Green Bay is transitioning to a run-first offense.

Green Bay lost more than it gained during free agency. The offense lost nine-year starter RT Bryan Bulaga, TE Jimmy Graham and WR Geronimo Allison. The defense saw linebackers Kyler Fackrell and Blake Martinez (Packers’ leading tackler in 2019) both land with the New York Giants. Packers’ notable new hires include WR Devin Funchess and LB Christian Kirksey.

Place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM, or play in their online casino. Bet now!

Packers’ 2020 opponents

OPPONENT LOCATION
Chicago Bears Home
Minnesota Vikings Home
Detroit Lions Home
Atlanta Falcons Home
Carolina Panthers Home
Jacksonville Jaguars Home
Tennessee Titans Home
Philadelphia Eagles Home
Bears Away
Vikings Away
Lions Away
Houston Texans Away
Indianapolis Colts Away
New Orleans Saints Away
San Francisco 49ers Away
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Away

Packers’ 2020 win total: Best bet

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Tuesday, May 5 at 3 p.m. ET.

Projected wins: 9 / OVER: EVEN / UNDER: -120

Because the NFL injects parity into its league, the first metric I look at when betting a team’s regular-season wins is their record in one-score games. Green Bay’s 8-1 record in such games in 2019 should regress in 2020.

Also, the Packers mopped up the NFC North going 6-0 in division games in 2019 and that will not continue this season. Furthermore, Green Bay played the 17th toughest schedule (according to FootballOutsiders.com) and their 2020 slate should be much harder.

To punctuate the handicap, the 2019 Green Bay Packers were the most fraudulent 13-3 team in NFL history. They had a minus-0.3 yard per play differential and aside from their two wins over the Vikings, the only winning team the Packers beat in the 2019 regular season was a Kansas City Chiefs team without QB Patrick Mahomes in Week 8.

BET UNDER 9 (-120) WINS.

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D’Angelo Russell sports Packers jersey prior to 49ers NFC Championship

Before the 49ers play the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship, D’Angelo Russell broke out his Aaron Rodgers Packers jersey at a press conference.

Against the Orlando Magic, everything was going in the Golden State Warriors direction to snap their season-high 10-game losing streak. Struggling rookie, Jordan Poole was impressive, Stephen Curry was along the sideline broadcasting the game and Klay Thompson got his college jersey retired earlier in the day — what more could the Warriors fanbase want?

Well, if you’re a fan of not just the Warriors, but all teams in the Bay Area, things might have soured when Golden State’s press conference started.

Although the Warriors sealed a victory, the team has struggled mightily in the 2019-20 season, just in time for their Bay Area neighbor, the San Francisco 49ers, to step up and take the baton.

The 49ers are one win away from punching their ticket to a Super Bowl appearance, but to get there, they will have to go through former Most Valuable Player, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

When the NFC Championship kicks-off, one member of the Golden State Warriors will be rooting against the Bay Area home team. During Golden State’s Orlando Magic victory press conference, D’Angelo Russell pulled out a jersey of his favorite NFL team, that may ruffle the feathers of some Warriors fans that pull for the 49ers as well.

Russell was sporting a green Rodgers No. 12 jersey on the eve of the 49ers-Packers NFC Championship tilt.

Russell, a noted Packers fan, has worked out with Rodgers in the past and the two sports stars are friends, according to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle.

During the Packers NFC Divisional round battle against the Seattle Seahawks, Russell cheered on Green Bay from his Twitter.

When the All-Star played for the Brooklyn Nets, Russell received a signed No. 12 Packers jersey from Rodgers himself.

Russell’s new rivalry with Golden State Warriors fans, doubling as San Francisco 49ers supporters will get settled during the NFL’s Championship Sunday. The 49ers kickoff against the Green Bay Packers at 3:40 PM PST on Sunday in Santa Clara, California.