The though of Aaron Rodgers obviously isn't what it used to be, and in some ways, rightfully so. Rodgers, considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, isn't the player that he once was.
There isn't anything wrong with that, but it's also fair that others around the NFL feel the same way.
So much so that in a recent ranking of quarterbacks, The Athletic had him in the third tier.
The idea was that Rodgers still has some physical tools, including throwing one of the best balls in the NFL, but the reality is that his lack of physical tools, such as not getting rid of the ball on time, being able to move out of the pocket, and other factors, make him about an average quarterback in the NFL.
“He’s a 3 at best,” a defensive coordinator said, per The Athletic. “He can still throw it. I love Aaron. He’s a tough motherf---er, but he holds the ball too long and lacks the same mobility. They come out against Buffalo, one-score game, turnover for a touchdown. He did not get rid of the ball on time. He is not able to make that magic like he used to.”
“The offensive scheme was limiting last year,” a defensive coach said. “His mobility is not great, but as a dropback passer and one of those guys you do not want to face in two-minute, if he has pieces around him, he can still go win.”
The interesting part here is that there are comments about Rodgers potentially figuring some things out in a new-look offense.
Historically, Mike Tomlin has had some boring offenses. Tomlin's teams are usually elite on the defensive side of the football, and he's had some decent quarterback play throughout his career with Ben Roethlisberger, but for the most part, he's not a great offensive mind.
The hope is that with Mike McCarthy, that's going to be a different story for Rodgers. Rodgers has already proven that he can succeed with McCarthy as his head coach.
