Aaron Rodgers - Pro Football Rumors

NFC Notes: Rodgers, Bucs, Eli

December 10th, 2017 at 10:53am CST by Rory Parks

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers will undergo a CT scan this week to determine if he will be medically cleared to return to game action, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link). Rodgers has been practicing since December 2, and Rapoport says the star quarterback has looked incredible on the field. However, Rodgers’ return will depend on how his surgically-repaired collarbone is healing. Green Bay has been hoping for No. 12 to suit up for next week’s game against Carolina, and there is a very good chance that will happen.

Now for more from the NFC:

Per Rapoport, the relationship between Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter and quarterback Jameis Winston is not in a good place, and part of that tension stems from Koetter’s predictable play-calling. Indeed, as ESPN’s Jenna Laine tweets, defensive assistants from opposing clubs have said that Tampa Bay’s offense is as predictable as it gets. Koetter, though, could be fired at the end of the season, so the team may not have to deal with that strained relationship much longer.
The Giants intend to start Eli Manning not just this week, but going forward as well, per Rapoport (video link). The team’s prior plan to get rookie Davis Webb an extended look is on hold indefinitely, though New York still wants to give him a shot a some point. We also learned earlier today that Dave Gettleman has emerged as the frontrunner for the team’s GM job.
The Vikings were among the most vocal of the teams speaking out this week against the perceived inconsistencies in punishments doled out by the league, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes. Minnesota safety Andrew Sendejo was suspended for a game earlier this year due to a hit he delivered on Ravens’ wideout Mike Wallace — and that suspension was upheld on appeal — but when Bengals safety George Iloka had his suspension for a similar hit reduced on appeal this week, Vikings officials were quickly on the phone with the league office.
Lions head coach Jim Caldwell‘s contract expires at the end of 2018, so his contract status will not impact his future with the team.

NFC North Notes: Packers, Rodgers, Bears

December 9th, 2017 at 11:12am CST by Zachary Links

Here’s a look at the NFC North:

Packers coach Mike McCarthy says quarterback Aaron Rodgers looks good throwing a football just seven weeks after shoulder surgery (Twitter link via Ryan Wood of the Press-Gazette). “He’s back there slinging it around and throwing with great velocity,” McCarthy said. “The recovery has been impressive.” A Rodgers return could be right around the corner as the team hopes to get him back on the field for Week 15.
Packers tight end Lance Kendricks has been charged with marijuana possession stemming from his traffic stop earlier this fall, Michael Cohen of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Initially, the 29-year-old believed that he would not face any charges related to the pot that cops found when he was pulled over for speeding. Because there is a drug offense involved, Kendricks could face league discipline for the incident. However, it stands to reason that the NFL will wait for the legal situation to resolve itself before coming down on the tight end. If there’s any suspension to be served, it won’t happen until the 2018 season, at the earliest. So far this year, Kenrdricks has just 11 catches for 151 yards and one touchdown. Last year, he had a career high 50 catches for 499 yards and two TDs with the Rams.
The Giants and Browns held key members of the organization accountable for their losing this week. John Mullin of NBC Sports Chicago wonders when the Bears will do the same. Coach John Fox and GM Ryan Pace find themselves on the hot seat, but it’s possible that the Bears will give them each one more year to turn things around. The team’s final four games against the Bengals, Lions, Browns, and Vikings obviously won’t have any playoff implications for the Bears, but the results could factor into the futures of both Fox and Pace.
The Fritz Pollard Alliance released its list of candidates for coaching and GM jobs this week. Packers exec Alonzo Highsmith is a recommended GM candidate while Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and Vikings DC George Edwards were both offered up as potential head coaches.

Packers Targeting Week 15 Return For Aaron Rodgers

December 3rd, 2017 at 8:18am CST by Rory Parks

The Packers are targeting a Week 15 return for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Rodgers returned to practice yesterday, making his return to game action this season very realistic.

However, other than confirming that Green Bay wants Rodgers to suit up as soon as he is eligible, Schefter does not add any new details to yesterday’s report that the star QB is practicing again. Schefter says that Rodgers’ Week 15 return is, of course, contingent upon his being medically cleared — and we learned yesterday that he would not be scanned until after the Packers’ Week 14 game against the Browns — and that the Packers would need to still be in playoff contention for No. 12 to see the field again in 2017.

Green Bay currently sits at 5-6 and is two games behind the Falcons for the second wild-card spot. But the Packers do have two eminently winnable games in Week 13 (home against the Buccaneers) and Week 14 (at Cleveland). If they can get to 7-6, Rodgers could be back to lead a playoff push in a difficult final stretch of the schedule, which includes matchups against the Panthers, Vikings, and Lions.

With Rodgers’ backup, Brett Hundley, under center, the Packers have stumbled to a 1-4 mark. Though Hundley has turned in a couple of strong performances, he has also struggled mightily at times, and the team clearly needs Rodgers to get to the postseason.

Aaron Rodgers Returns To Practice

December 2nd, 2017 at 1:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Aaron Rodgers waiting game progressed to another checkpoint on Saturday after the Packers’ franchise quarterback returned to practice, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).

He’s officially been designated as a player who will return off IR, but hurdles remain toward the All-Pro passer suiting up in another game this season.

Rodgers has not been cleared medically and, per Rapoport, won’t be scanned until after the Packers’ Week 14 game against the Browns. He did not practice with the first team, per Rapoport (on Twitter). As Rapoport notes, the Packers designating him as their second IR-return player doesn’t mean he will come back. It means he’s progressed without any setbacks. He could return as early as Week 15 and now can’t return any later than Week 16.

A Rodgers return will depend on Green Bay’s standing in the NFC playoff race. The Packers will almost certainly have to beat both the Buccaneers and Browns at home to make it a Rodgers re-emergence practical. Mike McCarthy said the possibility of getting their quarterback back “definitely” can inspire his currently undermanned team, so it appears — barring a setback or Rodgers’ impending medical reports showing troublesome signs — the longtime coach is on board with this plan.

The Packers are 5-6 and currently two games behind the Falcons for the second wild-card spot, so their performance — along with the 7-4 Seahawks’ — could well have bearing on the Packers’ decision. But if Green Bay can get to 7-6 with Brett Hundley, a Rodgers return is starting to appear very possible.

Latest On Aaron Rodgers

December 1st, 2017 at 5:15pm CST by GregGoldstein

The Packers have expectedly taken a major step back since their star quarterback Aaron Rodgers injured his collarbone in the team’s game against the Vikings over a month ago. Now at 5-6, Green Bay will likely see their signal caller back for practice for the first time since the injury, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com in a video posted on Twitter.

Rapoport states that the practice would serve as a “trial return” for Rodgers, who hasn’t seen live action in over a month. The reporter also cautions that the bone heals a little differently for everybody, so it’s tough to put a timetable on his potential return.

Packers QB coach Alex Van Pelt said after practice today that, “He’s (Rodgers) doing well. He’s probably ahead of the curve a little bit. But there’s nothing to talk about until there’s something to talk about,” (Courtesy of Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Twitter).

The news should still be a major positive for the Packers and their fans considering that he’s even got a chance to return this season. The team will have to string together a few wins in order for Rodgers to feel the need to get back out there, but these are positive steps for a guy that is celebrating his 34th birthday tomorrow. Rodgers is eligible to return to game action starting in Week 15.

Prior to the injury, Rodgers showed no signs of slowing down, throwing 13 touchdown passes to 3 interceptions in six games. The veteran quarterback also posted a 103.2 passer rating during that time. The Packers have won just a single game since the team started 4-1, which shows just how crucial Rodgers has been to the Packers recent playoff runs.

NFC North Notes: Packers, Rodgers, Bears

November 30th, 2017 at 11:39am CST by Zachary Links

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has recovered faster than expected, according to teammate and amateur doctor Clay Matthews.

“This past week, being a part of that rehab group, to watch Aaron, what he’s been doing in there, I think we probably should have kept him off IR,” Matthews said (via Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel). “The way he’s coming along, some of the balls he’s throwing, accuracy-wise, everything a quarterback has to do, is pretty remarkable. So, it would be really neat to see him out there, but unfortunately, he’ll have to wait two weeks prior to coming back.”

While we wait on a potential Rodgers return, here’s more from the NFC North:

Packers tight end Lance Kendricks says he was not cited for having marijuana and drug paraphernalia in his car during a traffic stop this fall, despite a report claiming that he was. Instead, Kendricks says he was actually given a warning for a speeding ticket (via Paul Srubas and Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press Gazette). Kendricks was also told by the NFLPA that he will not face suspension for the incident since there was no arrest or citation.
Some reports have indicated that wide receiver Tre McBride was waived by the Bears because of an argument with teammate Josh Bellamy. Coach John Fox didn’t directly confirm the rumblings about the rumble, but he hinted at that being the case. “I didn’t hear it, but I can just say that that happens on the sideline, that happens in meetings, that happens all the time,” Fox said, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. “I just think that [meeting] room is closer to y’all than I probably would have designed it. I think that’s par for the course in football. That’s not the first argument I’ve ever experienced.”
The Bears made some moves on Thursday morning. First, safety Chris Prosinski was re-signed. Then, the team brought safety Quintin Demps back off of IR.

NFC Notes: Rodgers, Stafford, Bucs

November 27th, 2017 at 10:57pm CST by GregGoldstein

Despite the Packers falling behind in the NFC playoff picture, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was seen throwing the ball around prior to the start of the team’s Sunday night game in Pittsburgh. Now with Rodgers clearly progressing well, the soon-to-be 34-year-old may be ready to return to practice at the end of next week, reports Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Demovsky passed along that head coach Mike McCarthy dodged a question about if he expected his starting QB to return this season. The earliest date Rodgers could be activated off the injured reserve would be in Week 15.

Fellow NFC North signal, Lions QB Matthew Stafford suffered an injury of his own on Thanksgiving, but appears to be “feeling better”, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The injury appeared to be more serious, but is being classified as a sprained ankle by team doctors. “I’m feeling better,” Stafford said after practice on Monday. “Obviously stuck around in town this weekend, got a bunch of treatment on it. We’ll see. Coach (Jim Caldwell) will put out that report on Wednesday or whatever it is for practice and all that kind of stuff, but it’s getting better and hopefully it’ll continue to get better.” Obviously, the franchise quarterback will not be 100% healthy entering Week 13, but he’s fought through injuries before and it looks like he’ll be healthy enough to take on the Ravens this Sunday.
Despite an earlier report that Mississippi State may be targeting Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken for their heading coaching vacancy, Tampa Bay head coach Dirk Koetter hasn’t heard anything about school’s interest, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). “To my knowledge, Todd Monken has not been contacted by Mississippi State. That comes from his mouth to my ear.” While the interest may be more in the gathering stage at this point, expect to hear some NFL assistants get some looks from schools as jobs open up. Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is reportedly garnering interest in Arizona State’s open head coach position.
On the field, Stroud also reports that QB Jameis Winston could begin throwing again at practice this week, and could get enough work to start vs. the Packers this weekend. This would be a positive development for the third-year signal caller as he’s missed the team’s last three games with a shoulder injury. While the news is positive, Winston is also dealing with an NFL investigation off the field regarding a sexual assault allegation that stems from when Winston rode in an Uber last year.

Latest On Packers’ Aaron Rodgers

November 16th, 2017 at 12:05pm CST by Zachary Links

For the first time since breaking his collarbone in mid-October, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers stepped foot on the practice field, the team announced. Rodgers went through some conditioning and footwork drills and simulated his throwing motion with a towel, which is ostensibly a good sign for his progress. Still, Rodgers is looking to temper expectations.

“It was just good being back on the practice field,” Rodgers said in a text message to Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal. “Schedule hasn’t changed. Out eight weeks. Only back if it’s completely healed.”

Although Rodgers was practicing at the team’s facility, he did not actually participate in the team’s practice. Per league rules, he won’t be able to do that for another two weeks. The earliest that Rodgers could suit up and play would be for Green Bay’s Dec. 17 game against the Panthers (in Carolina), but there has been no indication from Rodgers nor the team of that being a possibility.

At best, it sounds like Rodgers would be looking at a potential return against the Vikings in Week 16 or the Lions in Week 17. However, Rodgers has said that he’ll only return if it “makes sense” for him to do so, meaning the Packers will have to be in the playoff chase.

The Packers are currently 5-4 heading into Sunday’s game against the Ravens. They trail the 7-2 Vikings for the divisional lead while the Lions (5-4) hold the tiebreaker over them.

Latest on Aaron Rodgers’ Potential Return

November 3rd, 2017 at 8:31pm CST by GregGoldstein

Last month the entire football world was flipped on its head when Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone versus the Vikings and was presumably out for a long period of time if not the entire season. There’s been rumors about the 33 year-old’s potential return since he was placed on the disabled list just about two weeks ago. Now the quarterback is addressing his potential return for the first time in a session with the media earlier today.

Rodgers spoke to a group of reporters after the team’s Friday practice, including Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, who outlined Rodgers’ mindset for the rest of the season. Demovsky passed along that the former MVP is first and foremost focused on getting right physically.

“First of all, I want to be healthy,” Rodgers said. “That’s the most important thing. But if we’re healthy in eight weeks and it would make sense to come back, then I’m going to come back.”

Based on the quote, it would seem that the Rodgers isn’t putting it out of the question that he could return right before the start of the playoffs. According to league rules, the earliest Rodgers can return would be in Week 15 against Carolina. While the being on injured reserve is certainly not what one of the league’s best signal callers wanted, he looks to be thinking about the Packers decision to place him on the IR as a positive.

“I think the best thing that happened probably in this is just to put me on IR, because now you know it’s going to be at least eight weeks,” Rodgers said. “Where the last time, the holdup was the bone wasn’t healed. That was the main holdup. You could see me throwing at practice, you could see me [feeling] positive about it and feeling good, but then you’d go to the scan and it’s not healed yet. So it did take the duration.”

While Rodgers is focusing on moving forward he also pointed out that he didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes all too high regarding his recovery, given the severity of the injury.

“I would just temper expectations because, as much as I would love to get back out there this year, if it’s not healed, then there’s no conversation,” Rodgers said. “If it is healed, then there’s a conversation and we’ll go from there.”

Of course, Rodgers’ return would be a moot point if current starter Brett Hundley can’t keep the team above water until Rodgers is healed and ready to return to the field. As it stands, Green Bay is 4-3 and 1.5 games behind the NFC North division leading Vikings.

Latest On Aaron Rodgers

October 22nd, 2017 at 8:26am CST by Rory Parks

It appears we have conflicting reports on Aaron Rodgers‘ chances to return in 2017. We heard several days ago that the Packers were still hopeful for a Rodgers return, which would be Week 15 at the earliest, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com hears that Rodgers could resume throwing in as little as six weeks. If he does, he could return near the end of the regular season, assuming Green Bay is still pushing for a playoff spot or playoff seeding at that point.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, however, says the Packers do not anticipate and are not planning for a Rodgers return at the end of the season. Green Bay can bring back up to two players on injured reserve, and Rapoport reports that the team is more likely to designate offensive linemen Jason Spriggs and Don Barclay than Rodgers.

Of course, as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets, the Packers are holding out hope that Rodgers can return, but it will be weeks before they have a better idea and there is a good chance he will be sidelined for the remainder of the year.

Assuming Rodgers does not come back, Brett Hundley will get the chance to run the show for the duration of 2017. Head coach Mike McCarthy recently indicated that the Packers have no intention of adding a veteran quarterback to the mix, but the club did sign undrafted rookie Jerod Evans to its practice squad earlier this week.