Aaron Rodgers

Packers Promoting Stenavich To OC

January 29th, 2022 at 10:30pm CST by Ely Allen

With former-offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett leaving to become the head coach of the Broncos and quarterbacks coach/passing-game coordinator Luke Getsy expected to join Matt Eberflus‘ new staff as the Bears’ offensive coordinator, the Packers needed to move quickly to start rebuilding their offensive staff. The first such move was reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport in a tweet this evening announcing that Green Bay will be promoting offensive line coach and running game coordinator Adam Stenavich to be the team’s new offensive coordinator.

Stenavich got his first NFL opportunity in 2017 as the 49ers assistant offensive line coach after some college coaching stints at Michigan, Northern Arizona, and San Jose State. After two seasons in San Francisco, Stenavich got hired in Green Bay at his most recent position before getting today’s promotion.

The Packers had previously denied the Broncos’ request to interview Stenavich and this most recent report confirms the suspicions that soon followed that denial. Stenavich will be shouldered with the burden of building a new offensive coaching staff. It is expected that, after being denied Stenavich, the Broncos will pursue Hackett’s former tight ends coach Justin Outten to become the offensive coordinator in Denver, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter).

In three seasons with Stenavich as the run game coordinator, the Packers have ranked 15th (2019), 8th (2020), and 18th (2021) in the NFL in total rushing yards. Combining the rushing offense’s inconsistency from year to year with questions in the air about quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ future, Stenavich could have a difficult task in front of him following a season where the Packers’ offense helped Green Bay to the NFC’s only first round bye.

Latest On Packers’ Aaron Rodgers

January 26th, 2022 at 9:19am CST by Zachary Links

Aaron Rodgers isn’t interested in sticking around for a Packers rebuild. However, out of respect for his teammates, Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future sooner rather than later.

“I’d like to be respectful of the organization,” Rodgers said in his weekly spot on “The Pat McAfee Show.” (h/t Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com) “One decision that will be upcoming will be obviously Davante Adams and his future with the team. There still is this thing called a franchise tag, which I don’t think ’17’ wants the franchise. [But,] I think that should be enough time to make a decision by then. I don’t want to put myself on a specific date, but I do want to be sensitive to Davante and many other guys who have decisions to make on their own futures. To drag it out past free agency would be disrespectful to the organization and to those guys, and that 100% will not happen.”

Rodgers, 38, doesn’t “have a fear of retirement,” nor does he have any additional hints to share on what he’ll do. Even after last year’s back-and-forth over his contract, he’s still under club control through 2023, so he won’t be able to go elsewhere in the spring.

The Packers are projected to be ~$45MM over the cap, not including a potential megadeal or tag for Adams. Tagging Adams would cost roughly $20MM and even a multi-year deal wouldn’t shave all that much off of his ’22 hit. Whether Adams likes it or not, the Packers are preparing to use the tag to retain Adams. From there, they’ll have until mid-July to discuss a longer arrangement.

Aaron Rodgers: No Interest In Packers Rebuild

January 23rd, 2022 at 5:43pm CST by Zachary Links

Aaron Rodgers‘ season is over and it’s not a given that he’ll return for another. Still, amidst all the uncertainty, Rodgers has already ruled out the possibility of staying in Green Bay if the team isn’t built to win in 2022.

“I don’t want to be part of a rebuild if I’m going to keep playing,” the 38-year-old quarterback said (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky).

Rodgers is likely on the verge of capturing his fourth career and second straight MVP trophy. Unfortunately, he didn’t look the part on Saturday as the Packers lost to the 49ers with just ten points on the board.

“I’m still supercompetitive, still know I can play at a high level, so it’s going to be a tough decision,” Rodgers said. “I have a lot of things to weigh in the coming weeks. But man, just so much gratitude for this city and this organization and such a long, long career here that I’m proud of and really thankful for all the men and women that work here, the men I’ve gotten to cross paths with, coaches and players over the years.”

To the surprise of no one, head coach Matt LaFleur later confirmed that the team wants Rodgers back for the 2022 season. Rodgers, meanwhile, says he’ll make the call sometime before free agency. Of course, the future Hall of Famer is still under control for another season, but that conversation will dictate the course of the Packers’ offseason.

The Packers are already projected to be over the salary cap by ~$45MM and that’s without a potential tag or extension for star wide receiver Davante Adams. With a serious numbers crunch looming, Rodgers isn’t particularly optimistic about what the future will bring.

“This thing is definitely going to look different moving forward in Green Bay,” Rodgers said (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com).

On the plus side, Rodgers says that his relationship with GM Brian Gutekunst and the rest of the front office has improved (Twitter link via Mark Maske of The Washington Post). — a big step up from where things were this time last year.

Latest On Packers’ Injured Players

January 7th, 2022 at 2:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite many of their top players not seeing much action this season, the Packers secured the NFC’s No. 1 seed for a second straight year. Green Bay’s injured players have additional time to prepare for the playoffs, thanks to the first-round bye, and some are rounding into form.

David Bakhtiari has not played since suffering an ACL tear during practice on New Year’s Eve 2020. However, the All-Pro left tackle practiced fully for the first time this season Friday. He is questionable for Sunday’s game in Detroit. Matt LaFleur said the ninth-year veteran blocker looked “really good” in practice this week, and although the third-year HC will not commit to playing him Sunday, a return for the Packers’ first playoff game should now be expected (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky).

Out since suffering a shoulder injury in Week 4, Jaire Alexander is ramping up after being activated from IR recently. LaFleur said the Pro Bowl cornerback will not play in Week 18. Alexander returned from the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday, and the lack of practice time this week led to LaFleur’s decision to keep him on ice another week. Signs point to Alexander returning for Green Bay’s first playoff game.

Center Josh Myers will return against the Lions, LaFleur said. The Packers officially activated Myers from IR, and he has no injury designation going into Sunday’s game. The second-round rookie has been out since suffering a knee injury on the first drive of the Packers’ Week 6 game.

Lucas Patrick has taken over at center and is in line to keep that first-string gig this week, but LaFleur is not ruling out Myers returning as a starter in the playoffs, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. A scenario in which both are in the team’s starting lineup will almost certainly be in play.

Although the team designated Randall Cobb for return last week, the veteran slot receiver will not come back against the Lions. This adds up, with Cobb’s core injury requiring several weeks’ worth of rehab. Cobb is tracking toward a playoff return, Demovsky tweets. Regarding Aaron Rodgers‘ status for the Detroit rematch, he will start. LaFleur did not necessarily plan to start the MVP favorite, indicating he does not believe Rodgers needs to play Sunday. But the QB prefers to start, Silverstein tweets.

Packers Preparing To Put Franchise Tag On Davante Adams

January 2nd, 2022 at 11:12am CST by Rory Parks

Packers wide receiver Davante Adams recently discussed his future with the team, a future that may include the franchise tag. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears from several sources that Green Bay is indeed preparing to use the tag — a tool the club has not utilized since 2010 — on its star wideout.

Adams, 29, is playing out the final year of the four-year, $58MM extension he signed in December 2017. That proved to be a terrific investment for the Packers, and given the success that Adams has enjoyed over the life of that contract, he is now setting his sights even higher. He wants to be the highest-paid receiver in football, which, in terms of AAV, would mean a deal worth upwards of $27MM per season. The franchise tag, meanwhile, will cost about $20MM.

Once the season is over, Green Bay will have a great deal of work to do just to get under the salary cap, and carrying a $20MM charge on the books for an Adams tag will be challenging. A long-term contract would of course help to limit Adams’ 2022 cap hit, but it will be interesting to see if Adams even wants such a contract from the Packers at this point. Though he said that the club’s plans vis-a-vis Aaron Rodgers will not be the “end-all, be-all” in terms of his own future in Wisconsin, he did concede that Rodgers’ status will be a key consideration for him. And if the Packers move on from their franchise signal-caller — Rapoport suggests that there will be a resolution in that regard fairly early in the offseason — Adams may not want to stick around for the long haul.

Indeed, after Adams broke off contract talks in July, he did not, according to Rapoport, try to reopen them (even though he was reportedly happy to consider any pitches the team wished to make). If the Packers are willing to give him the record-breaking deal he wants, he might be hard-pressed to turn it down, regardless of what the club’s QB situation looks like. But if Green Bay parts way with Rodgers and does not break the bank for Adams, the Fresno State product might risk a statistical downturn in 2022 in the hopes of hitting the open market in 2023.

Rapoport also passes along an update on Rodgers. He confirms that retaining their three-time MVP is the Packers’ top priority, and the front office is hopeful that the regular conversations it has had with him has gotten the relationship to a point where Rodgers will want to stay (video link).

Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams Discuss Post-2021 Plans

December 30th, 2021 at 11:18am CST by Sam Robinson

By far the NFL’s most discussed player this year, Aaron Rodgers is having another MVP-caliber season. The Packers have the inside track on a third straight playoff bye. But the 17th-year quarterback’s future remains uncertain.

After skipping the Packers’ offseason workouts during his dispute with team management, Rodgers agreed to a revised deal that makes him a free agent in 2023. The sides, however, agreed to meet and discuss the future Hall of Famer’s status for 2022 as well. Returning to the Packers, playing elsewhere, and retirement appear to remain on the table.

Packers GM Brian Gutekunst stood in the crosshairs during Rodgers’ holdout. Ted Thompson‘s successor resided as the chief antagonist in this offseason’s Rodgers drama, with the exec’s decision to trade up for Jordan Love — without informing Rodgers beforehand — doing plenty to fuel the issues between Green Bay’s 14th-year starter and management. The parties’ relationship may be in a better place now.

“There will be a lot of things that I’ll weigh in the offseason,” Rodgers said, via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. “Saying that doesn’t mean, or any of the comments I’ve made, doesn’t mean I’m thinking about [playing] elsewhere.

“The things that I’ve said about the team this year, about Brian’s and I’s relationship, has been heartfelt and genuine, and I do appreciate a lot of the things that I’ve seen from the team that are directly related to conversations we had in the offseason, and that was meaningful to me. I’ve enjoyed being a part of conversations that directly affect my job, which I talked about in the offseason, and Brian’s taken the lead in that, and I do appreciate the way our relationship has grown.”

Retirement surfaced as a possibility this year, but Rodgers relented and reported to the Packers. Rodgers retiring in 2022 seems unlikely. He spoke of enjoying this season’s process, as tumultuous as it has been, and said he will continue to play while he is still performing at a high level. The three-time MVP leads the NFL in QBR.

Rodgers’ performance level has again benefited Davante Adams, who is 15 yards away from a new career-high in receiving yards. Adams, 29, also has a murky future in Green Bay. He is due for free agency in March and broke off extension talks with the Packers this summer. Rodgers’ status will affect Adams’ Wisconsin future.

“Obviously, I love being a Packer and love being here,” Adams said. “We’ll see how everything plays out. But to a certain extent, I will be connected with ’12.’ It’s just not like, if he goes, I’m not going to be here or if he stays, I will. It’s something we’ll have to pay attention to, for sure.

“… There’s a lot that goes into it, so it won’t be the end-all, be-all, but it’ll definitely be something I’m monitoring and paying attention to, to see where his head is at.”

Regardless of Rodgers’ status, the Packers have the franchise tag at their disposal with Adams. Although they have not used the tag since cuffing Ryan Pickett in 2010, the Packers keeping Adams would certainly bolster their hopes at another deep playoff run next season. If Green Bay wants to sign Adams to another extension, he was previously seeking to top DeAndre Hopkins ($27MM AAV) as the NFL’s highest-paid receiver. After the drama of this past year, the Packers are set to navigate another complex offseason in 2022.

Evaluating Steelers’ 2022 In-House QB Options

December 10th, 2021 at 9:29pm CST by Ely Allen

After 18 years in the National Football League, it’s sounding more and more likely that the 2021-22 season will be Ben Roethlisberger‘s last. Over the last few years, Pittsburgh has taken stabs at potential replacements for Roethlisberger, usually utilizing late-round draft picks in hopes of molding a young prospect into a starter. But Roethlisberger potentially putting an end to his career when the season concludes places a lot more pressure on the Steelers to come up with a solution.

The easiest solution is to use the materials you already have. Pittsburgh currently has two quarterbacks on the active roster behind Big Ben and one on the injured reserve. Former first round pick Dwayne Haskins and Joshua Dobbs, currently on IR, both have contracts that expire at the end of the season, but it’s easier to have contract discussions with players already in the building than not.

Mason Rudolph is the team’s current primary backup. Rudolph beat out Dobbs for the second quarterback job and took over as the team’s starter in 2019 when Roethlisberger was ruled out for the season after an elbow surgery. Rudolph went 5-3 as the Steelers’ starter before getting benched for Devlin Hodges after struggling against a winless Bengals team. He completed 62% of his passes for 1,765 yards and threw 13 touchdowns to 9 interceptions on the year. Before the 2021 season, Rudolph signed a one-year extension, pushing his free agency back until after the 2022 season. Rudolph has appeared in one game this year, filling in as Roethlisberger was held out with COVID-19. In a game that resulted in a tie with the winless Lions, Rudolph completed 30 out of 50 pass attempts for 242 yards, throwing 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

Haskins was taken in the 2019 NFL Draft with the 15th overall pick by the Washington Football Team. He saw some game time for Washington in two games in the first 8 weeks of his rookie year, but earned his first start in Week 9 after the season’s original starter, Case Keenum, could not play with a concussion. Haskins took over the offense for every game but one for the rest of the season as he missed Week 17 with an ankle injury. Haskins retained the starting job to begin the 2020 season, but was benched in a Week 5 game against the Rams. He returned to the field when new starter Alex Smith left the game in Week 14 with an injury. Haskins started the next two games before being benched once again, this time for Taylor Heinicke. Haskins was released the next day due to some controversies with breaking COVID-19 protocols and not meeting the team’s standards off the field. In two years of play, Haskins completed 60% of his passes for 2,804 yards, throwing 12 touchdowns to 14 interceptions.

There are plenty of different directions Pittsburgh could go to replace Roethlisberger should this be his final season. While they haven’t quite proven to be world-beaters, Rudolph and Haskins do provide the Steelers with workable options that are already in the building. If the Steelers decide that they don’t think they can win a Super Bowl with the talent currently in their QB room, they’ll be sure to explore some options via free agency, trade, and the 2022 NFL Draft.

If the likes of Pitt’s Kenny Pickett, Ole Miss’s Matt Corral, North Carolina’s Sam Howell, or Liberty’s Malik Willis don’t pique the Steelers’ interest, Pittsburgh may look into a short-term free agent rental as they have in the past with quarterbacks Michael Vick and Bruce Gradkowski. Quarterbacks Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, and Teddy Bridgewater are some of the bigger names set to hit the market this offseason that could delay the Steelers’ need to draft a quarterback until some more attractive prospects potentially surface in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Pittsburgh could also trade, as they did for Dobbs, with a number of quarterbacks rumored to be available for a price. Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson is obviously the most available option, due to a league investigation that could result in disciplinary action. 49ers’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been rumored to be available due to the expected emergence of 2021’s No. 3 overall draft pick, Trey Lance. Garoppolo is not known to be flashy, but has still accomplished a 30-13 record as a starter in the NFL. Two other veterans that have shown a little frustration with their current squads and may be open to a trade are Seattle’s Russell Wilson and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers.

While Steelers’ management is certainly preoccupied right now with making the playoffs in a wild AFC, they will have much to consider when the season comes to an end. Whoever ends up under center for the Steelers in Week 1 of the 2022-23 NFL season, it will certainly be a change of pace for the franchise if the jersey doesn’t have fourteen letters across the top.

NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Darnold, Cowboys

December 7th, 2021 at 10:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Imagine a loaded Buccaneers offense with…Jonathan Taylor at running back. It could have been a possibility, as the Buccaneers had their eye on the Wisconsin product during the 2020 draft, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Bucs were armed with the No. 14 heading into that draft, and Taylor was on the “short list” of players the organization was considering with that selection. The team ended up with their preferred prospect, offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, and they traded up to No. 13 to make sure they got the lineman. However, if Wirfs was off the board at that point in the draft, then Tampa Bay likely would have pivoted to Taylor, who didn’t hear his name come off the board until midway through the second round.

“I loved him,” Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said recently (via Schefter). “He could do it all, and it was just a matter of time — playing behind that offensive line — that he was going to be the force that he is.”

Taylor has obviously had a standout season with the Colts, leading the league with 1,348 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns (naturally, he’s also leading the NFL with 1,684 yards from scrimmage and 18 total scores). Of course, things have worked out fine for the Buccaneers. Wirfs has started all 28 of his career games, while the duo of Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones were more than capable during Tampa Bay’s 2020 Super Bowl run.

Some more notes out of the NFC…

Sam Darnold seems to be out of the picture in Carolina, but the Panthers still owe the quarterback $18.8MM in guaranteed money in 2022. The team already paid Denver $7MM to inherit Teddy Bridgewater, leaving the organization with $17MM in dead cap. As a result, Joseph Person of The Athletic believes Darnold will stick around as a high-priced backup vs. being involved in a salary dump. Person specifically cites a 2017 trade where the Texans attached a second-round pick to Brock Osweiler to dump his salary on Cleveland; league sources tell the reporter that “an Osweiler-type trade involving Darnold is unlikely.”
Cowboys senior defensive assistant George Edwards is a candidate for the head coaching job at his alma mater, Duke University, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). Edwards was a four-year player for Duke, and he served as an assistant on the Duke staff way back in 1996. He’s had a long coaching career since that time, including a recent six-year stint as the Vikings defensive coordinator. Edwards has been a senior defensive assistant with the Cowboys since 2020. Duke parted ways with David Cutcliffe last month.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com recently tweeted the 10 highest salary cap hits for 2022, and the top three spots all belong to the NFC. Falcons QB Matt Ryan and his $48.7MM cap hit leads the way, following by Packers QB Aaron Rodgers at $46.1MM and Vikings QB Kirk Cousins at $45MM. Other NFC players on the list include Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (sixth, $37MM), Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (ninth, $34.5MM), and Lions QB Jared Goff (10th, $31.2MM).

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers Will Start Sunday

November 13th, 2021 at 3:01pm CST by Ben Levine

3:01pm: The Packers officially activated the reigning MVP off their reserve/COVID-19 list. Rodgers will start against the Seahawks in Week 10.

11:01am: It sounds like Aaron Rodgers will be returning to the field tomorrow. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that Rodgers is back with the Packers, is expected to be activated from the COVID-19/reserve list, and will start tomorrow against the Seahawks. ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds (on Twitter) that Rodgers has remained asymptomatic and “has met the NFL/NFLPA return-to-play protocols.”

Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, forcing him to miss Green Bay’s Week 9 game. He later revealed that he experienced COVID-19 symptoms before and after his positive test, putting his availability for Week 10 in doubt. An unvaccinated player must be away from his team for 10 days after experiencing symptoms. Ultimately, Rodgers made it through protocols in time for tomorrow’s showdown.

Rodgers’ positive test also sparked an investigation by the NFL into the Packers’ handling of COVID-19 protocols. The team was slapped with a $300K fine, while Rodgers and teammate Allen Lazard were fined $14,650. The two players were fined for attending a maskless Halloween party. The Packers’ organizational fine also stemmed from the party; while the gathering wasn’t organized by the team, the NFL believes the organization should have penalized each player. The Packers organization was notified that “future violations could result in escalated discipline,” including the potential loss of draft picks.

The Packers offense predictably struggled without Rodgers. The team was limited to only seven points in their loss to the Chiefs, with former Packers first-rounder and fill-in starter Jordan Love completing 19 of his 34 attempts for 190 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

Poll: Who Will Earn NFC’s No. 1 Seed?

November 12th, 2021 at 6:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the AFC features a deeper contender pool, the NFC brings more clarity near the top. Five teams enter Week 10 with one or two losses, bringing about a high-level second-half race for the conference’s lone bye.

The 2020 CBA reducing conference byes from two to one made the No. 1 seed more valuable. Only one team — the 2020 Buccaneers, in a season with limited attendance — has qualified for a Super Bowl without the benefit of a bye week over the past eight seasons. Week 9 certainly benefited the Cardinals, with the Rams, Packers and Cowboys joining the Buccaneers as two-loss teams. But eight weeks remain.

The Rams also made two major efforts to tilt the scales over the past week and change, trading for Von Miller and signing Odell Beckham Jr. Will that be enough to give them their first No. 1 seed since 2001? Los Angeles (7-2) is coming off a one-sided loss to Tennessee. The team has not lost one of its impact players the way the rest of the NFC’s top tier has, though Miller and Beckham are coming off injuries sustained with their previous teams. The Rams rank in the top 10 offensively and defensively and have made a major upgrade at quarterback, with Matthew Stafford sitting first in QBR after nine games. Road games against the Cardinals, Packers and Ravens remain, however.

Responsible for handing the Rams their first defeat, the Cardinals (8-1) are the NFL’s lone one-loss team and the only NFC squad to rank in the top five on offense and defense. The Cardinals, who have not earned a No. 1 seed since home-field advantage was introduced in the mid-1970s, have seen their defense make more strides under DC Vance Joseph. Arizona ranks second in defensive DVOA, though the team is now down J.J. Watt for potentially the rest of the season. The Cards, who have seen offseason additions A.J. Green and Rodney Hudson also play key roles in their early 30s, still face the Rams and Cowboys and have two Seahawks matchups — presumably each with Russell Wilson at the controls — in their final seven games.

Last earning the NFC’s top seed five years ago, the Cowboys (6-2) are coming off a strange loss to the Broncos — one in which they trailed 30-0 — and have seen Tyron Smith run into more injury trouble. The Cowboys are also down both DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory, the latter being placed on IR this week. Dallas’ defense gave up a franchise-most points last season, but the arrivals of Dan Quinn and Micah Parsons have helped the NFC East leaders move toward the middle of the pack on that side of the ball. No other NFC East team has more than three wins, but the Cowboys still have games against the Chiefs, Raiders, Saints and Cardinals.

While the Packers have gone through significant midseason turmoil, they are expected to have Aaron Rodgers back in Week 10. Jaire Alexander and Za’Darius Smith remain on IR, however. The NFC North leaders (7-2) signed Whitney Mercilus and have seen Rashan Gary fare well in replacing Smith. Despite Smith and Alexander’s absences, the Packers rank sixth defensively. Summer signing De’Vondre Campbell (83 tackles, which lead the Packers by nearly 30) has bolstered new DC Joe Barry‘s unit as well. Green Bay also stands to receive a boost once David Bakhtiari returns following his ACL rehab. The All-Pro left tackle spent nine weeks on Green Bay’s PUP list and is not expected to play in Week 10. The Packers still have games against the Rams, Ravens and Browns.

Tampa Bay’s second Super Bowl run came from the No. 5 slot; the franchise has never secured the NFC’s top seed. But this Bucs edition’s bye path includes an inviting second-half schedule. The defending champions play just one team — the Bills — with a winning record over their final eight. The Bucs (6-2) brought back their full nucleus from last season but have seen some of their veterans run into injury trouble. They will again be without Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski in Week 10, and Gronk may be facing another extended absence. Cornerback unavailability has also helped define Tampa Bay’s season, but the team is getting healthier on that front.

Which of these five teams will prevail en route to the NFC’s bye? Is there another squad that could make a stealth bid? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your NFC thoughts in the comments section.

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