Packers’ Aaron Rodgers is biggest loser at NFL Trade Deadline
The Green Bay Packers failed to secure any help for their future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who is the biggest loser at the trade deadline.
Once upon a time, Green Bay Packers‘ quarterback Aaron Rodgers lined up under center and had the option to throw to Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings, Jermichael Finley, James Jones or Donald Driver. At another point, he had Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams as options. Now, its Adams, Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling?
Adams is having an incredible year, posting 43 receptions for 502 yards in just five games. However, the rest of the receivers have combined for 38 receptions for 622 yards and four touchdowns. They’ve been basically non-existent these last three games without Allen Lazard.
Rodgers has rebounded well after a couple of down seasons and is back to playing the vintage football we came to love from him. It also helps he’s playing within the scheme designed by Matt LaFleur that allows him to get the ball out quickly and in the hands of their playmakers. The issue is they are incredibly thin at the “playmaker” position.
It was obvious throughout last season and especially afterward that part of the Packers’ problem was their lack of pass-catchers on offense. Other than Adams, nobody is a proven commodity. The offseason, especially the NFL Draft, seemed like the perfect avenue to upgrade those playmakers on the outside. After all, the draft was being touted as one of the best wide receiver classes in years, if not ever once it’s all said and done.
Heading into the draft, Green Bay was projected to take at least one–if not more–receivers to shore up a position that had a bunch of question marks. Instead, they dodged the position like it was contagious and came out of it with zero wide receivers selected. Unfortunately, the rookie class has already proven its worth, as we’ve seen guys like Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, Brandon Aiyuk and Tee Higgins flash their potential.
Packers’ fans were up in arms throughout the summer, especially as their lone wide receiver acquisition, Devin Funchess, opted out of the season due to reasons related to covid-19. That meant Green Bay was heading into a season as hopeful Super Bowl candidates with guys like Jace Sternberger and Valdes-Scantling needing to play big roles for their offense to be successful. That paled in comparison to the other top teams in the NFL.
With the trade deadline approaching, fans once again got their hopes up as word began to circulate about the Packers targeting different wide receivers, particularly Will Fuller. Despite huge question marks on defense, Green Bay still needed an upgrade opposite Adams and Fuller checked every box.
Unfortunately, the deadline came and went with no deal in place; leaving Rodgers with no reinforcements and a bevy of guys who have done nothing but fall short of expectations throughout their professional career.
Next. Now or never for Mike Pettine. dark
Rodgers is trying to lift this Packers’ offense to great heights without the horsepower other teams like the Kansas City Chief, Seattle Seahawks or even the New Orleans Saints have. However, when he lines up under center these days he has Adams and exactly who else to throw to?