M
Mark Eckel
Guest
BY ROB REISCHEL
In the spring of 2007, Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss was on the trading block. And Packers quarterback Brett Favre lobbied hard for general manager Ted Thompson to bring the Pro Bowl receiver to Green Bay.
Thompson wasn’t as passionate about the move as Favre was. And New England eventually acquired Moss for a fourth round draft choice.
“It is disappointing,” Favre said at the time. “We could have gotten him for less money than New England did. He wanted to play in Green Bay for the amount of money we would have paid him. It (was) well worth the risk.”
Thompson’s decision to pass on Moss was about more than football. It was about power and control.
To Thompson, players play and decision-making is left to the front office. And if that rubbed someone like Favre — who had a much louder voice during the Mike Sherman years — the wrong way, so be it.
Today, general manager Brian Gutekunst has the same philosophy on personnel matters as Thompson did. And Gutekunst and quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be headed down a road similar to the one Thompson and Favre once traveled.
Rodgers was unhappy this offseason when the Packers released wide receiver Jordy Nelson and replaced quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt without consulting him. Rodgers didn’t deny his displeasure when he met the state media Tuesday on the first day of the Packers’ offseason program. But instead of pouring gas on a potential fire, Rodgers used the term “know my role” on three different occasions.
“Well, I think I know my role, and that’s to play as well as I possibly can at quarterback,” Rodgers said. “There are decisions that are going to be made, from a personal standpoint, that’s the toughest part. You’re in this business for a long time, and you start relationships with your coaches and players. As you get older – and I knew this as a young player – if I had the possibility and success to play a long time, I’d probably outlive a lot of close friends in this business. Because the longevity offered to a quarterback is obviously greater than a guy who’s banging heads all the time, or running all over the field.
“So that’s the toughest part about the whole thing, is losing guys over the years – the Jordys, the James Jones’, the A.J. Hawks, the John Kuhns, the Julius Peppers, guys you get really close to. Again, those are team decisions, and you just know your role and your responsibility, and you’re trying to do that the best you can.”
A Yahoo.com report Monday used the terms “frustrated” and emotional” to describe Rodgers’ discontent for being left out of any decision making this offseason. That description certainly seemed fair considering Rodgers’ public stance on various moves.
When Van Pelt wasn’t retained and was replaced by Frank Cignetti Jr., the quarterback told ESPN Radio’s Golic & Wingo: “I thought that was an interesting change, really without consulting me. There’s a close connection between quarterback and quarterback coach, and that was an interesting decision.”
Rodgers was also bothered that he had no say in the decisions on Nelson and tight end Richard Rodgers, and took a passive-aggressive shot at the organization during an interview with Milwaukee radio station 102.9 The Hog.
“I think it’s pretty clear that players play and coaches and coach and personnel people make the decisions,” Rodgers said. “That’s the way they want it.”
On Tuesday, Rodgers was asked if he should be consulted on personnel matters.
“I don’t know if that’s a question for myself, really,” Rodgers said. “I think that’s, again, they’re paying me to play quarterback to the best of my abilities, and their job descriptions are to handle those type of things. So I think you just act accordingly in those situations.”
Rodgers has two years left on his current contract, and many expected him to sign a long-term deal with Green Bay this offseason. If Rodgers’ deal eventually expired, the Packers could then place the franchise tag on him in both 2020 and 2021 — meaning it would be 2022 before Rodgers could play anywhere else. By that time, Rodgers would be three months shy of his 39th birthday.
So even though things aren’t exactly rosy between Rodgers and the Packers right now, the two sides seem likely to get a new contract done sooner rather than later.
“I think there’s interest on both sides in getting something done,” Rodgers said. “They’ve obviously made a number of statements over the offseason, but my focus is here. I have a fantastic agent who takes care of anything associated with my contract, and there’s just nothing to report right now.
“I want to finish my career here. I’ve said that a number of times and still have two years left on my deal, so we’ll see what happens this offseason.”
Welcome back: Tramon Williams, a Packer from 2007-’14, left in free agency for Cleveland in March, 2015. Few players that leave their original team get a chance to return, but Williams is the rare exception.
Williams, 35, signed a two-year, $10 million deal last month to return to Green Bay.
“It feels great,” Williams said Tuesday. “When you start with somebody, you always want to finish with them. At least I got the opportunity.”
Williams spent two seasons in Cleveland and the 2017 campaign with Arizona. His time with the Browns was spent under new Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, who was Cleveland’s head coach.
The veteran cornerback was extremely impressed by Pettine in 2015.
“It’s very aggressive, man,” Williams said of Pettine’s scheme. “You have to be smart. It’s simple but it’s aggressive.
“There has to be a lot of smart guys on the field. Me being in that defense, I think I can guide some guys and teach some guys what they need to know in this defense. That’s why I think the move made sense.”
During Williams’ first stint in Green Bay, Charles Woodson was the primary leader of the secondary. This time around, Williams would like those responsibilities.
“I’m up for that challenge,” Williams said. “That’s one of the reason why I’m here. But I don’t think they would have just signed me if I couldn’t play, you know? The first reason is because I can play still. The second reason is that I’ve always been that way with guys.
“I think it’s the way I came in the NFL as an undrafted guy. Most young guys came in, they were already gravitated to me, anyway, so I’m used to that role. I played that role a little bit in Cleveland and even in Arizona, I was still the older guy in the room. I had some good players in there but guys still looked up to me. I’m used to playing that role.”
Courtship pays off: Rodgers has been in Jimmy Graham’s ear about playing together for several years.
Rodgers broached the idea at the 2013 Pro Bowl. Rodgers brought it up again when the two were on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.”
“He’s been working me for a long time,” Graham said.
So when Graham hit free agency this offseason, playing with Rodgers was the No. 1 reason he came to Green Bay.
“The guy, he’s a special player,” Graham said of Rodgers. “Once in a lifetime player to play with. The way he commands the huddle, commands the game, the confidence that he plays with is really what stands out. His ability to win late and just sling the ball with no effort is pretty special.
“There was a lot of teams out there who were really pulling on me and I turned down quite a significant amount of money to come here because I believe in not only Mike but, I mean, 12’s hungry. I know how he is and I know how competitive he is and I want to ride that wave and try to help him as best I can.”
Graham averaged 89.0 receptions, 1,099 yards and 11.5 touchdowns in New Orleans from 2011-’14. During Graham’s three seasons in Seattle, he averaged 56.7 catches, 683 yards and 6.0 touchdowns per year.
But the tight end insists he’s still the same player he was with the Saints.
“Obviously it’s different philosophies, Seattle and New Orleans,” Graham said. “Seattle — defensive based, run, run, run and take care of the ball. We won a lot of games that way, and I did everything to the best of my ability.
“I’m still 6-7 and can still run a 4.5. … When my number is called, I’m going to be ready, I can tell you that.”
The Packers have lacked an impact tight end since Jermichael Finley’s career ended in 2013. And Rodgers was certainly thrilled his recruitment of Graham paid off.
“We joked at the time about wanting to play together at some point, so I was pretty excited with the signing and getting to talk to him,” Rodgers said. “He’s just a very talented guy, very smart guy. And I think he’s going to be a great addition to our locker room.”
Big talker: Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is coming off the worst of his four NFL seasons.
Clinton-Dix made almost no big plays and blew far too many assignments. He was second on the team in missed tackles and couldn’t handle wearing the helmet headset.
Then, to top it off, he went through the motions — and some would say even quit — in the Packers’ season finale at Detroit.
Clinton-Dix might have to take a greater leadership role this season following the offseason departure of safety Morgan Burnett. His reaction? Bring it on.
“Concerns? Not at all,” he said. “I’m excited to step up and take his role. He was a leader on this defense. He was a guy that was always held accountable. He was a guy that you never had to question about if he was going to work hard or not. And he set great standards not only for me, but everybody else that’s in the locker room. And we just have to carry on with the tradition that he set.”
All good: Rodgers missed nine of the final 10 games last season after suffering a broken collarbone in Week 6 against Minnesota. The Packers started the season 4-1 and looked like a Super Bowl contender, then proceeded to go 3-8.
Rodgers said Tuesday that his collarbone is fully healed and he won’t have any limitations.
“I feel great, I feel great,” he said. “The offseason has been good, obviously from a travel standpoint some fun things, but from a workout standpoint once I got back into it I felt really good.”
The post Rodgers’ displeasure with personnel moves reminiscent of Favre and Thompson appeared first on Bob McGinn Football.
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In the spring of 2007, Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss was on the trading block. And Packers quarterback Brett Favre lobbied hard for general manager Ted Thompson to bring the Pro Bowl receiver to Green Bay.
Thompson wasn’t as passionate about the move as Favre was. And New England eventually acquired Moss for a fourth round draft choice.
“It is disappointing,” Favre said at the time. “We could have gotten him for less money than New England did. He wanted to play in Green Bay for the amount of money we would have paid him. It (was) well worth the risk.”
Thompson’s decision to pass on Moss was about more than football. It was about power and control.
To Thompson, players play and decision-making is left to the front office. And if that rubbed someone like Favre — who had a much louder voice during the Mike Sherman years — the wrong way, so be it.
Today, general manager Brian Gutekunst has the same philosophy on personnel matters as Thompson did. And Gutekunst and quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be headed down a road similar to the one Thompson and Favre once traveled.
Rodgers was unhappy this offseason when the Packers released wide receiver Jordy Nelson and replaced quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt without consulting him. Rodgers didn’t deny his displeasure when he met the state media Tuesday on the first day of the Packers’ offseason program. But instead of pouring gas on a potential fire, Rodgers used the term “know my role” on three different occasions.
“Well, I think I know my role, and that’s to play as well as I possibly can at quarterback,” Rodgers said. “There are decisions that are going to be made, from a personal standpoint, that’s the toughest part. You’re in this business for a long time, and you start relationships with your coaches and players. As you get older – and I knew this as a young player – if I had the possibility and success to play a long time, I’d probably outlive a lot of close friends in this business. Because the longevity offered to a quarterback is obviously greater than a guy who’s banging heads all the time, or running all over the field.
“So that’s the toughest part about the whole thing, is losing guys over the years – the Jordys, the James Jones’, the A.J. Hawks, the John Kuhns, the Julius Peppers, guys you get really close to. Again, those are team decisions, and you just know your role and your responsibility, and you’re trying to do that the best you can.”
A Yahoo.com report Monday used the terms “frustrated” and emotional” to describe Rodgers’ discontent for being left out of any decision making this offseason. That description certainly seemed fair considering Rodgers’ public stance on various moves.
When Van Pelt wasn’t retained and was replaced by Frank Cignetti Jr., the quarterback told ESPN Radio’s Golic & Wingo: “I thought that was an interesting change, really without consulting me. There’s a close connection between quarterback and quarterback coach, and that was an interesting decision.”
Rodgers was also bothered that he had no say in the decisions on Nelson and tight end Richard Rodgers, and took a passive-aggressive shot at the organization during an interview with Milwaukee radio station 102.9 The Hog.
“I think it’s pretty clear that players play and coaches and coach and personnel people make the decisions,” Rodgers said. “That’s the way they want it.”
On Tuesday, Rodgers was asked if he should be consulted on personnel matters.
“I don’t know if that’s a question for myself, really,” Rodgers said. “I think that’s, again, they’re paying me to play quarterback to the best of my abilities, and their job descriptions are to handle those type of things. So I think you just act accordingly in those situations.”
Rodgers has two years left on his current contract, and many expected him to sign a long-term deal with Green Bay this offseason. If Rodgers’ deal eventually expired, the Packers could then place the franchise tag on him in both 2020 and 2021 — meaning it would be 2022 before Rodgers could play anywhere else. By that time, Rodgers would be three months shy of his 39th birthday.
So even though things aren’t exactly rosy between Rodgers and the Packers right now, the two sides seem likely to get a new contract done sooner rather than later.
“I think there’s interest on both sides in getting something done,” Rodgers said. “They’ve obviously made a number of statements over the offseason, but my focus is here. I have a fantastic agent who takes care of anything associated with my contract, and there’s just nothing to report right now.
“I want to finish my career here. I’ve said that a number of times and still have two years left on my deal, so we’ll see what happens this offseason.”
Welcome back: Tramon Williams, a Packer from 2007-’14, left in free agency for Cleveland in March, 2015. Few players that leave their original team get a chance to return, but Williams is the rare exception.
Williams, 35, signed a two-year, $10 million deal last month to return to Green Bay.
“It feels great,” Williams said Tuesday. “When you start with somebody, you always want to finish with them. At least I got the opportunity.”
Williams spent two seasons in Cleveland and the 2017 campaign with Arizona. His time with the Browns was spent under new Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, who was Cleveland’s head coach.
The veteran cornerback was extremely impressed by Pettine in 2015.
“It’s very aggressive, man,” Williams said of Pettine’s scheme. “You have to be smart. It’s simple but it’s aggressive.
“There has to be a lot of smart guys on the field. Me being in that defense, I think I can guide some guys and teach some guys what they need to know in this defense. That’s why I think the move made sense.”
During Williams’ first stint in Green Bay, Charles Woodson was the primary leader of the secondary. This time around, Williams would like those responsibilities.
“I’m up for that challenge,” Williams said. “That’s one of the reason why I’m here. But I don’t think they would have just signed me if I couldn’t play, you know? The first reason is because I can play still. The second reason is that I’ve always been that way with guys.
“I think it’s the way I came in the NFL as an undrafted guy. Most young guys came in, they were already gravitated to me, anyway, so I’m used to that role. I played that role a little bit in Cleveland and even in Arizona, I was still the older guy in the room. I had some good players in there but guys still looked up to me. I’m used to playing that role.”
Courtship pays off: Rodgers has been in Jimmy Graham’s ear about playing together for several years.
Rodgers broached the idea at the 2013 Pro Bowl. Rodgers brought it up again when the two were on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.”
“He’s been working me for a long time,” Graham said.
So when Graham hit free agency this offseason, playing with Rodgers was the No. 1 reason he came to Green Bay.
“The guy, he’s a special player,” Graham said of Rodgers. “Once in a lifetime player to play with. The way he commands the huddle, commands the game, the confidence that he plays with is really what stands out. His ability to win late and just sling the ball with no effort is pretty special.
“There was a lot of teams out there who were really pulling on me and I turned down quite a significant amount of money to come here because I believe in not only Mike but, I mean, 12’s hungry. I know how he is and I know how competitive he is and I want to ride that wave and try to help him as best I can.”
Graham averaged 89.0 receptions, 1,099 yards and 11.5 touchdowns in New Orleans from 2011-’14. During Graham’s three seasons in Seattle, he averaged 56.7 catches, 683 yards and 6.0 touchdowns per year.
But the tight end insists he’s still the same player he was with the Saints.
“Obviously it’s different philosophies, Seattle and New Orleans,” Graham said. “Seattle — defensive based, run, run, run and take care of the ball. We won a lot of games that way, and I did everything to the best of my ability.
“I’m still 6-7 and can still run a 4.5. … When my number is called, I’m going to be ready, I can tell you that.”
The Packers have lacked an impact tight end since Jermichael Finley’s career ended in 2013. And Rodgers was certainly thrilled his recruitment of Graham paid off.
“We joked at the time about wanting to play together at some point, so I was pretty excited with the signing and getting to talk to him,” Rodgers said. “He’s just a very talented guy, very smart guy. And I think he’s going to be a great addition to our locker room.”
Big talker: Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is coming off the worst of his four NFL seasons.
Clinton-Dix made almost no big plays and blew far too many assignments. He was second on the team in missed tackles and couldn’t handle wearing the helmet headset.
Then, to top it off, he went through the motions — and some would say even quit — in the Packers’ season finale at Detroit.
Clinton-Dix might have to take a greater leadership role this season following the offseason departure of safety Morgan Burnett. His reaction? Bring it on.
“Concerns? Not at all,” he said. “I’m excited to step up and take his role. He was a leader on this defense. He was a guy that was always held accountable. He was a guy that you never had to question about if he was going to work hard or not. And he set great standards not only for me, but everybody else that’s in the locker room. And we just have to carry on with the tradition that he set.”
All good: Rodgers missed nine of the final 10 games last season after suffering a broken collarbone in Week 6 against Minnesota. The Packers started the season 4-1 and looked like a Super Bowl contender, then proceeded to go 3-8.
Rodgers said Tuesday that his collarbone is fully healed and he won’t have any limitations.
“I feel great, I feel great,” he said. “The offseason has been good, obviously from a travel standpoint some fun things, but from a workout standpoint once I got back into it I felt really good.”
The post Rodgers’ displeasure with personnel moves reminiscent of Favre and Thompson appeared first on Bob McGinn Football.
Continue reading...
