Aaron Rodgers Taking Steps To Rebound In 2016
- After posting his worst statistical season in some time, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is hoping for a bounceback year, and he’s taken steps to move in that direction, as Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. Rodgers has lost weight, slimming down to 215 pounds, and also underwent surgery after Green Bay’s postseason run in order to clean up a knee injury. The former MVP produced a career-worst passer rating of 92.7 in 2016, but quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt is certain Rodgers will rebound. “Not up to his standards,” Van Pelt said of Rodgers’ campaign. “Obviously, we’ve targeted improvement areas, and he’s on board.”
- The Packers worked out former Texas A&M punter Taylor Symmank today, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Symmank was apparently close to an agreement with the division rival Vikings earlier this year, but no word of an official signing was ever reported. Green Bay appears to be updating its specialist emergency list, as the club auditioned kicker Brent Wahle yesterday.
Packers Sign CB Warren Gatewood
- The Packers have reached the 90-man roster limit by signing cornerback Warren Gatewood of Alcorn State, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets.
Packers Working Out Brent Wahle
- The Packers are working out kicker Brent Wahle on Wednesday, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Wahle, an Ohio Dominican product, spent a few days in Browns camp earlier this year but didn’t earn a contract. He obviously won’t challenge Mason Crosby for the starting job in Green Bay, but Wahle could act as a camp kicker.
Jared Cook, Richard Rogers Could Form Solid Tight End Combo
- Packers general manager Ted Thompson went outside his comfort zone and signed an external free agent this offseason, inking tight end Jared Cook after he was released by the Rams, and Aaron Rodgers is hoping Cook and incumbent Richard Rogers can form a lethal combination. “We haven’t figured that out yet,” Rodgers told Rob Reischel of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “Obviously we haven’t even put the pads on, so we’re just trying to work through it. Obviously when you have two tight ends on the field it creates a matchup problem, so we’ll see where that goes.” Cook, who has never appeared in a playoff game during his NFL career, signed a one-year, $2.75MM deal with Green Bay that contains $900K in incentives.
Opinion: Should Packers Give Rodgers A Raise?
After Andrew Luck became the highest-paid player in NFL history, should the Packers now give Aaron Rodgers a raise? Mike Florio of PFT notes that Rodgers – who has earned one Super Bowl MVP trophy and two league MVP awards – will earn just $12.6MM this year while Luck will be averaging $24MM+ per year in new money on his new pact.
Rodgers may be deserving of more money than the Colts QB, but what he lacks is leverage. Green Bay has Rodgers under team control for four more years with an average payout of about $17MM/year. The Packers certainly want to keep the face of their franchise happy, but there’s not much Rodgers can really do to force their hand.
- Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com says the Bears were smart to sign Danny Trevathan for more than just the obvious reasons. Sure, the former Denver linebacker will give Green Bay’s front seven an immediate boost, but Chicago also took an appealing option away from Packers GM Ted Thompson. it also helps that the 26-year-old has experience playing in John Fox’s defense, so there won’t be much of a learning curve for him as he joins a new team.
- On Tuesday, we learned that the Packers were one of six teams to meet with Supplemental Draft prospect Rashaun Simonise.
Packers Sign Brandon Taylor
- The Packers have signed former Maryland running back Brandon Ross, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com. Ross went undrafted out of Maryland earlier this year, but signed with the Vikings in early May — he was cut after spending only three weeks on the roster. In his season senior season with the Terrapins, Ross rushed 150 times for nearly 1,000 yards, scoring 10 times. Per Demovsky, Ross will compete with Don Jackson and Brandon Burks — both fellow UDFAs — as well as John Crockett for Green Bay’s third running back job. The Packers weren’t forced to waive another player to fit Ross onto the roster because the club only had 88 players on their 90-man squad prior to today.
Packers Focusing On Hybrid LBs
- The Packers’ signing of Julius Peppers in 2014 was the beginning of their shift toward pursuing hybrid linebackers with “elephant” body types, details Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Along with the 6-foot-7, 296-pound Peppers, the rest of the Packers’ prominent linebackers – Clay Matthews, Datone Jones, Nick Perry, Jayrone Elliott, and rookies Kyler Fackrell and Dean Lowry – range from 6-3 to 6-6 in height and 245 to 296 in weight, and each member of the group has long arms. “The advantage is when you do have some bigger guys they have the ability to be either an inside or outside pass rusher in pass situations,” defensive coordinator Dom Capers told Silverstein.
Packers Could Be Moving On From Bradford
- When Dom Capers assessed the Packers‘ inside linebacker position, he included Jake Ryan, Sam Barrington and Blake Martinez as the candidates to step in this season, Michael Cohen of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Green Bay’s DC omitted Carl Bradford in this discussion after the linebacker who was given a chance to win a job in 2015 ended up on the practice squad. The Packers appear to be slotting their fourth-round picks from the past two drafts — Ryan and Martinez — into position to earn the spots. Cohen notes this is likely the final chance for Bradford, their 2014 fourth-rounder, to make an impact in Green Bay.
Clay Matthews On List of 10 Most Overpaid Vets
- ESPN.com’s Nathan Jahnke (Insider subscription required) runs through his list of the NFL’s 10 most overpaid veterans. Giants quarterback Eli Manning leads the list, with Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil, Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr, and Vikings running back Adrian Peterson also appearing on the list.
[SOURCE LINK]
Packers Shifting Datone Jones To OLB Role
- Datone Jones will shift to a stand-up, edge-defending position after he relocated there late last season, Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com reports. The Packers plan to play their 2013 first-round pick at outside linebacker in a 3-4 set and on the outside in passing-down sets, which he did beginning with a two-sack game against the Vikings last November. Given the team’s depth at each position, Jones’ role adjustment is interesting. As Roster resource shows, the Packers are more stocked on the edge than they are inside in their 3-4 set. Julius Peppers, Nick Perry and a recently relocated Clay Matthews reside at outside linebacker.