Aaron Rodgers...class act, and already a leader!

[digsthepack]

Below, you will find the words of a wise, confident young man that is already displaying leadership skills beyond his years and stature on the team. When addressing the recent comments that Brett should be sat so he (Rodgers) could get some grooming time...well, first he says it is stupid (which is obvious) and indicates that while he is always wanting to play, he would have problems with the organization if they sat Brett after all he has done, is currently doing, and capable of into the future. He recognizes Brett still "has it" and probably will for several more years, and is happy to learn from the master and hit the field when the time comes..whenever that is. Beyond that, he also states that he felt the team lacked passion early on and indicates that he feels some players "appeared to be going through the motions" early in the season.

The more I learn, the more I like this kid. A great read for sure.



Green Bay - As Brett Favre slings through his 15th year of professional football, trying to save the Green Bay Packers from their first losing season since 1991, his understudy, Aaron Rodgers, has been watching closely and preparing to take over.

Packers/NFL


Photo/Rick Wood

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay’s backup quarterback, has been watching and learning from the sideline as Brett Favre runs the show for the Packers.

Quotable
Brett’s the guy. This is his team, his organization, and until he’s ready to move on, I’m not ready to play in good faith because that would be totally wrong.

- Aaron Rodgers,
on his role as Brett Favre’s backup

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Some day, not now, that is.

Only Favre knows when he will pass the torch to Rodgers. Rodgers just plans to be ready when he does. The 2005 season is critical to his development.

That said, Rodgers' respect and appreciation for Favre seems to have grown with each passing week. Rodgers did not like recent suggestions from NFL TV commentators that if the 1-4 Packers totally tank the season, Rodgers should get at least a shot at significant playing time and not just mop-up work like Rodgers saw in the 52-3 blowout against New Orleans.

The suggestions first came from former Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw.

"Because of Brett Favre's talk about possible retirement, if the Packers should lose two more games, go 0-5 even 0-6, I think you sit him down and bring the young kid in and let Brett go into the Hall of Fame and retire," Bradshaw said Oct. 4.

Former Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman said Favre was still a top QB but that the Packers, if they were still losing badly, would have to ask Favre if he was coming back in 2006.

"If he's not, then somehow you have to be able to get Aaron Rodgers some playing time," Aikman said in an Oct. 7 story.

Rodgers, the first-round draft pick in April, doesn't want to be the reason the Packers ask Favre for any decision on his future and sees that scenario as highly unlikely.

"Brett's done too much for this organization for them ever to sit him down," Rodgers said. "There's no rush on my development. I'm actually upset that any of that stuff came out because I think its total disrespect to Brett as a player and for all the stuff he's done. He's a competitor. He would never take himself out.

"And frankly, if we got to that situation, it would be real hard for me not to have a problem . . . well, no, I'd never have a problem playing. But the way they'd be doing it would definitely not sit easy with me."

Just talking about the suggestions during bye week, when he got rare work with the first-team offense, made Rodgers uncomfortable.

"It really does," he said. "Because it would definitely put a strain on me and Brett's relationship. And with me and the fans, too. Brett's the guy. This is his team, his organization, and until he's ready to move on, I'm not ready to play in good faith because that would be totally wrong. I'd be in a no-win situation. I'd be upset that they did that to Brett but at the same time, wanting to play well and win games."

Rodgers said he hopes the organization doesn't have to face such a dilemma or outside pressure to make the switch.

"The only reason they were talking about that is they were expecting us to have a losing season," Rodgers said. "And I don't. So I just hope nothing gets to that point because that'd be tough for both of us."

Meanwhile, on the field, Rodgers has seen just a fourth quarter of playing time this season - and had just one pass in that time - so he lives for the competitive drills in practice.

It's there he relishes any chance to give Favre a run for his money. One drill is simple. Large buckets are placed in the end zone, and the quarterbacks try to make the shot.

"I'm always challenging him," Rodgers said. "I always say, it's the best coast, as I like to call the West Coast, against the South. Back when J.T. (O'Sullivan) was here, it was me and J.T. against Craig (Nall) and Brett."

On Fridays, the Packers also have a passing drill with nets painted red, white and blue as the target. The quarterbacks get two shots first from 10 yards out, and if they make a shot, then, 15 and 20. Quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell, formerly of Wisconsin, jumps in on it.

"Not to brag, but I won it for the first time all year last week," Rodgers said. "Craig said he didn't want 'the rook' to win at all. I tied one week. Last week I won by 15 yards, so I took it to them. I was pretty excited."

He splits work on the scout team with third quarterback Nall, getting about 20 to 30 snaps a day, going against the No. 1 defense. He does a lot of handing off. Former backup Doug Pederson used to say that preparing for a real game by doing scout work was next to impossible.

Rodgers isn't worried. Citing Favre's 230-game starting streak, he assumes he won't see playing time all year.

By not playing, it might seem as if Rodgers has some distance from his teammates and isn't affected by the losses.

Checking in with him every week, it became clear that wasn't the case. When the team slumped to 0-2, Rodgers wondered where the team's competitive fire was.

"There wasn't a lot of passion on the field," Rodgers said at the time. "I have no problem telling people I didn't think there was a whole lot of passion out there. I thought it seemed like some of the guys were going through the motions."

After the loss to Tampa Bay to go 0-3, Rodgers liked the energy shift but still hated suffering through another loss.

"That totally changed in game three. We came out with an energy and an intensity level," he said then. "But it has been rough on me, as much as anyone else. I'm not playing but I'm on the practice field working my butt off and studying my playbook."

Rodgers insists the lack of playing time and the mundane scout work don't derail his focus.

"I get the same game plan Brett gets," Rodgers said. "Same blitz charts, same front packages, I'm doing the same kind of preparation Brett's doing. Watching the same film.

"I get all my work done when Brett's playing. I'm charting all the plays. It's been interesting to me looking at the ways defensive coordinators call their games and their defenses. I'm running down the coverages every time and different guys have different styles. I'm learning through that. I'm almost calling defenses out before I see what they're in just going off tendencies and stuff I've seen on film. So that's been a good maturation process."

Rodgers said he has a good grasp of the offense. Maybe that's because he scored a 35 on the Wonderlic test and is pretty confident that if he'd had more time than the 12 minutes allotted, he would have gotten all 50 questions right. He said he could see the test serving a couple of useful purposes to general managers and coaches.

"There was one question that was a perfect example of the test." Rodgers said. "It was a multiple-choice test, five answers. The question was: which of these has the lowest value. And it had a bunch of decimals, like .8, .08, .88. A couple of guys next to me probably didn't get that question right."

Rodgers had also heard about the recent Wall Street Journal study that found the Packers have the lowest average score of any NFL team. He shrugged.

"The Wonderlic now just serves as trash talking material in the quarterback room because I got the best score out of me, Brett and Craig," he said.

 

[big3]

Man you guys have a great future qb if his play is as good as his character. Any chance the pack would trade Rodgers for joey harrington and charles rogers? I could only wish.

 

[CaliforniaCheez]

That was a negative story from the MSJ wasn't it.
They do not have the courage to say it directly so it is done indirectly.

 

[PackerChick]

Man you guys have a great future qb if his play is as good as his character. Any chance the pack would trade Rodgers for joey harrington and charles rogers? I could only wish.

hey dosent your sig mean weapons of mass self destruction?

 

[big3]

Only for Harrington and rogers.

 

[kelbel505]

Found this link on Packernet.com

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercuryn ... 913105.htm

And the article:

Time's not right to anoint Aaron Rodgers for anything just yet

By BOB MCGINN

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel


GREEN BAY, Wis. - Some of the most inane babble in the first five weeks of the season was the so-called "national media" speculation that the Green Bay Packers would be turning over the reins to Aaron Rodgers if their losing ways continued.

Aaron Rodgers? Anyone who watched even a minute of tape from Rodgers' four appearances in the exhibition season would know that the rookie quarterback from California is no more ready to start a regular-season game in the National Football League than Wisconsin quarterback John Stocco.

OK, pardon the exaggeration, but you get the idea.

When Rodgers was anointed No. 2 ahead of Craig Nall half an hour before kickoff in Detroit, neither general manager Ted Thompson nor coach Mike Sherman ever explained why that was, probably because they had no legitimate reason. And, if anything ever should happen to Brett Favre, you can bet your paycheck that Nall would start the next game. That is, if the Packers are interested in salvaging this season, Nall would start the next game.

That's not to say Nall is a great player. Far from it. But you maybe could envision a scenario in which teammates would rally around Nall, a tough guy with at least a working command of the offense.

Now, if Rodgers were to start, the Packers wouldn't have a chance. On Tuesday, the first day that the majority of practice was open to reporters in more than a month, Rodgers looked awful. If one day was any indication, he hasn't been improving a bit.

But the point is moot because Favre is indestructible. Nall, soon to become an unrestricted free agent, might not be re-signed even if he does happen to be a better player than Rodgers in 2005.

Unless you're Rich Campbell, no quarterback is drafted in the first round and not given a chance to make it as a starter.

Just as he probably made sure that Rodgers was No. 2, Thompson will make sure when the time is right that the first player he drafted in Green Bay gets a fair shot. What Rodgers will do with that opportunity is the mystery with few clues.

Almost every time Rodgers performs on a football field, the comments of an AFC personnel director made in early April are brought back to mind.

"He's been busting his (expletive) his whole life to get to this point," the executive said. "I just don't know how much more he has to give."

By now, everyone knows the story of how Rodgers elected to go junior college when no Division I-A schools offered him a scholarship, and how Cal coach Jeff Tedford inadvertently discovered him while looking at his tight end, and how Rodgers went 17-5 as a starter for the Golden Bears.

Because of his humble background, Rodgers plays with a chip on his shoulder in a positive manner.

Nevertheless, Rodgers has limitations physically that won't just go away. He is 6 feet 2 inches on the nose, isn't a great natural athlete and doesn't have more than an average arm.

"That's right," said Bill Walsh, the legendary former coach of the San Francisco 49ers who follows football in the Bay Area closely as special assistant to the athletic director at Stanford. "What you see is what you get. He doesn't have more great potential that doesn't show. He's part of a system and a real outstanding coach in college and all that. I don't know where it's going to take him."

Or, as one longtime quarterbacks coach in the NFL said: "He doesn't demonstrate as a first-rounder the genetic ability to do something extraordinary. The fear for Aaron Rodgers is he'll just plateau right at this kind of average level. You'd like to think that if you're spending a (first-round) pick you'd get someone special."

Last week, the quarterbacks coach and three personnel directors for NFL teams were asked this question: When it's all said and done, will Rodgers be a strong starter, a bust or somewhere in between?

One scout predicted Rodgers would develop into a strong starter, whereas three said he'd be in between, although one almost decided to cast his vote for strong starter.

"Physically, he's got the ability that you want," the waffling personnel man said. "The worry is that he's pre-fab, that Tedford did more for him than he did for himself. He's one of those what you see is what you get, and you're not sure if it's going to be good enough."

All four of the respondents based their comments on Rodgers after having studied him on exhibition tapes.

The executive that liked Rodgers the most was read the scout's comment from before the draft.

"That might be an accurate statement, but I don't think he has to give much more," he said. "The things he offers you are the things that you need. If he's used right, he'll be just like (Ben) Roethlisberger. I could read you the same quotes about (Tom) Brady.

"Two things I liked about him. He knows where to go with the football. That's No. 1. That was Heath Shuler's problem. No. 2, he gets it off on time. He doesn't have the greatest arm strength, but I don't worry about it.

"You can't ask Rodgers to win the game for you like you can Brett Favre. He has to have a great tight end, a big, strong possession receiver and the best running back I could get that could run between the tackles.

"I'd rather put the ball in this kid's hands than (J.P.) Losman. You can trust him with the game plan. He's a very confident player. It radiates to the other players. You could feel it when you were around him on the practice field at Cal."

This essentially is what Thompson was saying on the day of the draft.

Now, go back to how Rodgers has performed in Green Bay. To summarize, he quarterbacked 19 full series without scoring a point until throwing a touchdown pass on his 20th possession in Tennessee.

"Other than the drive against Tennessee I thought Rodgers was awful," an AFC personnel director said. "He's still kind of mechanical. He's not as accurate as you'd like. He's a project."

A personnel director for an NFC team basically saw Rodgers in the same light.

"He looked terrible this summer, there's no doubt about it," he said. "People were talking about benching Brett Favre before the Carolina game and I'm like, `That's just crazy talk.' My gosh. He looked so bad. If he can't pick it up and go against the speed of guys in practice, there's no way he could do it in games."

But neither scout was ready to predict Rodgers would be a bust.

"Watching him in pre-season, he looked confused and has a long way to go, but having said that it's a very confusing offense," the NFC man said. "Tim Couch looked terrible the year before. For young guys, it takes a couple years."

And Rodgers, with a score of 35 on the Wonderlic intelligence test, is a fast learner.

Just how inauspicious was Rodgers' performance in exhibition games?

From 1986-2005, a total of 43 quarterbacks were taken in the first round. Because of holdouts, injuries and availability of statistics, the first-year passer ratings of 29 players with 25 or more passing attempts were compared to Rodgers', who had 37 attempts.

Rodgers, with a rating of 53.0, ranked 24th among the group of 30. The only first-rounders behind him were Tommy Maddox (52.6), Cade McNown (50.4), Philip Rivers (46.4), Dan McGwire (43.5), Jason Campbell (43.1) and Kerry Collins (42.3). Neither Rivers nor Campbell has had a chance, Collins is a long-time starter and the other three were busts.

The good players in front of Rodgers were Drew Bledsoe (101.0), Troy Aikman (98.8), Carson Palmer (87.8), Peyton Manning (78.9), Roethlisberger (71.4) and Michael Vick (55.4). The bad players were Rick Mirer (84.9), Ryan Leaf (80.3), Couch (77.6), Akili Smith (64.5) and Jim Druckenmiller (54.4).

"Everyone is in a rush to make a judgment in this league," one scout said. "He's got time. Look at (John) Elway his rookie year. Guys have come out of it. But if he gets to the third year and you still feel the same way, yeah, then he probably is (a bust)."

At this point, in the words of another scout, "he just looks very, very common. You've not seen him do anything to make you think he's a big-time guy."

If Thompson ever would have second thoughts, he always could put on Rodgers' wonderful performance in a 23-17 loss to national champion Southern California last October. Bruce Coslet, a close friend of USC coach Pete Carroll's, was on hand at the Memorial Coliseum.

"Rodgers played lights-out," the retired Coslet, former head coach of the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals, said last week. "I was surprised that he played as well as he did."

But Coslet, a veteran of 22 seasons as an NFL coach, punctured a belief held by many fans by saying that just because a quarterback is taken with the 24th pick in the first round doesn't mean that quarterback can play.

"You never know how they make the transition to the next step," Coslet said. "I mean, there are no can't-miss guys. None of them. Zero.

"You've got to be a stud. You've got to be a man. It's a whole different ball game, playing quarterback for an NFL team, than it is in college. That's for damn sure.

"You hope you find one because that's the key to the whole league. There's only about 20 guys in the whole world that can do what they do. And the other 12 teams don't have a chance."

This is the 14th season in a row that the Packers have had the great fortune of having a great quarterback. So far, Rodgers' chances to become even a reliable starter should have stirred more uncertainty than hope.


---Always interesting that these comments after the fact. Everyone had rodgers as the the number one pick. I think he will do fine, just have to get the guy the personell to help him out early in his career. All I care about is getting W's and if he can do that he's good enough for me.

 

[IPBprez]

Man's right - we won't know til he's under-fire.....

He could be another Montana, or Bart Starr.. you just never know...

How many QB's have the Bears been thru? He could also be one of those...

 

[arrowgargantuan]

Man's right - we won't know til he's under-fire.....

He could be another Montana, or Bart Starr.. you just never know...

How many QB's have the Bears been thru? He could also be one of those...

the odds are definitely stacked against him. if he turns out to be a great quarterback the Packers would be one the most fortunate franchises in history. I still wonder how Wolf managed to see something literally the entire league missed.

 

[kelbel505]

yeah, as much as they said this is the best situation for him (and I agree), It will be so hard for him to be on the field those first years unless he is a superstar because he will be constantly comparted to farve. Besides Young after Montana, can't think of a replacement who almost out did his predecessor the way young did. Like I said, just as long as he doesn't do to much to keep us from winning with bad decsions.

 

[IPBprez]

The more I think about it - the more I see Aaron walking the Tom Brady road....

Only problem is - we don't have a Charlie Weis as the OC.

 

[net]

Having watched Orton last Sunday against the Vikings, he will be way ahead of Rodgers when the two of them go head-to-head.

Orton is going to develop into a pretty good QB.

I'm not sold on Rodgers arm. He has all the other ingredients. I also don't think the difference between 6'2" and 6'5" is all that much when the play is going on.

After this bubble with the offensive line is over...keeping in mind Tauscher and Clifton will be around for awhile...Wells looks like Flanagan's replacement and the guards will improve....Rodgers will at least have some protection to develop.

A quarterback is worthless without an offensive line. Archie Manning got the living daylights pounded out of him in New Orleans, and if he'd been with a contender he would look like his son now looks with Indy.

 

[IPBprez]

I suppose..... Although, I didn't see Orton doing all that much.
I thought the MVP for the game was the Bear's Defense!

Orton was like Dilfer - pretty much along for the ride!

 

[kelbel505]

Still all really depends if farve stays another year. If he does, then the packers can start getting more play makers on defense (and perhaps Running back if we can't resign green). Then by the time Rodgers gets his chance, He will have mastered the offense (like Nall) and will hopefully have a defense and a running game to take off the pressure.

 

[CaliforniaCheez]

The 49'ers win with Rattay and get embarrassed with rookie Smith at QB yet they traded Rattay!!

Buffalo has benched 2nd year QB Losman.

Rookie Rodgers will not be ready to play at the NFL level for at least a couple of years. He is an expensive long term investment with no returns for awhile.

If he is still in Green Bay when Brett leaves he will always be compared to Favre. Rodgers is in for some tough times and the back up behind him still has to be purchased.

 

[IPBprez]

Oh, c'mon, Cheez...

"ANY QB" ....who steps in, after Favre - will be compared to him...

Let's review, historically - how did they treat (?):

• 
  Hasselbeck
  Nall
  
  or
  
  all other QB's who moved on.... (ex: Aaron Brooks)

Eyeballing Rodgers with that 'attack' conversation is a bit much...
We're barely almost halfway into his first season as an NFL player.

I could see your point, if he were a RB, like Cadillac - but he's a QB.
What I want to hear about - is his proficiency during practices..
People are around him all week long, including Reporters....
How's he doing with the first team?

I would think Favre doesn't NEED the same repetitiveness out there..
That 'should' give Rodgers the time he needs to prove he can handle things.. pending......

 

[CaliforniaCheez]

IPBprez no attack was meant.

The 49'ers are pushing Smith(rookie) too early and he is not having success.
Buffalo misjudged how ready Losman(2nd year) would be for the NFL. He is not there yet.

Pushing him early sets him up for failure. It will be some time for him to get ready.

Human nature is such that no matter who eventually replaces Favre during the next decade is going to get bad press because it will be hard to have a career comprable to Favre's. If it is Rodgers he is due for some bad times no matter what.

A lot of patience is called for and not "attacks".

 

[ChuckSTG]

Smith sucks because he has no line and no one to throw to either. Try giving P. Manning that line from the 49ers or the texans and see how he does. Losman just needs to go through the growing pains like The manning brothers have done (I think a combined first year recond of something 6-26), Farve (horrible at atlanta). But you will have a harrington sometimes too. He sucks plain and simple. I expect rodgers to have some growing pains but he will enter knowing the system and having some good weapons around him. Losman also was probably counting on a Defense that would cover his *** from time to time. That is what we need to do for Rodgers. Get a solid defense that will keep us in games when he is going through his learning process.