It’s wonderful the distinction a 12 months could make. Twelve months in the past, there have been so many questions in Inexperienced Bay surrounding the Packers’ future. Between Aaron Rodgers wanting to maneuver on and never understanding precisely what they’d in Jordan Love, there have been loads of questions getting into final offseason. One 12 months later Inexperienced Bay seems to be and seems like a model new franchise.
This time final 12 months, Love was the child on the bench backing up a future Corridor of Famer. Inexperienced Bay wasn’t even certain he was prepared for primetime. Now Love is heading into his first offseason because the unquestioned beginning quarterback and way forward for the group. Ending second within the NFL in landing passes (32) and upsetting the Dallas Cowboys within the wild card spherical will do this.
Love and the Packers’ inventory is way greater than it was final spring and will proceed to climb. Inexperienced Bay often drafts properly, and also you’d count on that development to proceed. Most individuals anticipated the Packers to have a down 12 months whereas Love took time to determine life out as QB1. The primary few weeks of the Love period have been a bit rocky however as soon as he settled in, by midseason they have been off to the races.
There’s a quote attributed to former Brooklyn Dodgers government Department Rickey that states: “Commerce a participant a 12 months too early reasonably than a 12 months too late.” Legendary NFL coaches like Invoice Walsh and Invoice Belichick adhered to this philosophy and have been fairly profitable regardless of some backlash over sure personnel strikes.
What the Packers did by transferring on from Rodgers after they did (even when he pressured their hand) has set them up completely. If it wasn’t a “12 months early,” it was simply within the nick of time. Rodgers obtained his commerce to the Jets and all of the hype that going to New York entails. For all that bother he didn’t even end the primary quarter leaving that recreation with a ruptured Achilles.
After all, had Rodgers stayed one other 12 months and the identical factor occurred, the Packers had Love, who’s already confirmed to be a way more competent QB than Zach Wilson. However looking for a commerce associate for a 40-year-old QB coming off an Achilles harm that value him the whole season would’ve been depressing.
So, the Packers actually dodged a bullet by granting Rodgers one final want after they did. Now with such a younger staff led by a QB who’s solely 25 and has a lot upside, Inexperienced Bay needs to be within the NFC playoff combine for years to come back. Final 12 months right now the state of Wisconsin was nervous not understanding how they’d look with out Rodgers taking snaps. Now all of the cheeseheads are assured they’ve obtained their man and will critically compete for a Tremendous Bowl subsequent season.