Might Richard Rodgers be a better prospect than we think?

[wist43]

You yourself admitted that you would do no better than any NFL GM at making picks, yet you continue to rail on the people who are actually paid to do the work. Amazing. Year after year people complain that a pick isn't a future all-pro/hall of fame candidate. Fucking stupid. Calling fans homers doesn't make you sound smart, it makes you sound like an asshole.

Who put starch in your shorts this a.m.??

A guy like Rodgers, who is a plodder, can be had lower in the draft - or FA. On the other hand, a guy like Findley, who can run and had special physical qualities probably should have been drafted higher than the 4th round we got him in. Rodgers was a 3rd round pick, and Findley was a 4th round pick... what sense does that make??

Plodders at the TE position can be found tending bar just about any night of the week; hence, I wouldn't have drafted him in the 3rd round.

3rd round and higher - you should be looking for quality starters, or guys with upside - Rodgers doesn't fit either catagory. He might end up being a servicable player over time, but don't see him as a good 3rd round value - just MO.

Some have mentioned Mark Chmura - if Rodgers can get to that level, I would be happy with that; but then again Chmura was a 6th round draft pick.

[mraynrand]

Who put starch in your shorts this a.m.??

A guy like Rodgers, who is a plodder, can be had lower in the draft - or FA. On the other hand, a guy like Findley, who can run and had special physical qualities probably should have been drafted higher than the 4th round we got him in. Rodgers was a 3rd round pick, and Findley was a 4th round pick... what sense does that make??

Plodders at the TE position can be found tending bar just about any night of the week; hence, I wouldn't have drafted him in the 3rd round.

3rd round and higher - you should be looking for quality starters, or guys with upside - Rodgers doesn't fit either catagory. He might end up being a servicable player over time, but don't see him as a good 3rd round value - just MO.

Some have mentioned Mark Chmura - if Rodgers can get to that level, I would be happy with that; but then again Chmura was a 6th round draft pick.

Who the hell is Findley? The Packers drafted Finley in the third round (91)http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/43604092.html

[Bretsky]

Who the hell is Findley? The Packers drafted Finley in the third round (91)http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/43604092.html

This makes the Rodgers pick even more puzzling. The Rat Draft group was all over touting Finley as well as Martellus Bennett going into that draft as two receiving TE's with stellar talent

Nobody was talking about Rodgers upside....he can be an ok guy....maybe...but nothing about him has changed my first WTH reaction I had when they used a 3rd on him up to this point

[sharpe1027]

He was drafted using their compensatory pick, so it was basically a 4th rounder. I think you'll find that his first year production is probably above average for where they drafted him. Wist has his crystal ball out about future production, so I will defer to the crystal ball.

[mraynrand]

He was drafted using their compensatory pick, so it was basically a 4th rounder.

Just to belabor the point, he was 91st (32x3=96 normal picks through three rounds). The only reason he wasn't the 92nd pick was that NE lost a pick due to 'spygate.' The first compensatory pick in 2008 was the Redskins at #96 (again, one pick early due to NE).

[Joemailman]

Who put starch in your shorts this a.m.??

A guy like Rodgers, who is a plodder, can be had lower in the draft - or FA. On the other hand, a guy like Findley, who can run and had special physical qualities probably should have been drafted higher than the 4th round we got him in. Rodgers was a 3rd round pick, and Findley was a 4th round pick... what sense does that make??

Plodders at the TE position can be found tending bar just about any night of the week; hence, I wouldn't have drafted him in the 3rd round.

3rd round and higher - you should be looking for quality starters, or guys with upside - Rodgers doesn't fit either catagory. He might end up being a servicable player over time, but don't see him as a good 3rd round value - just MO.

Some have mentioned Mark Chmura - if Rodgers can get to that level, I would be happy with that; but then again Chmura was a 6th round draft pick.

As someone else mentioned, Finley was a 3rd round pick. Finley might have been higher than that but he had maturity issues that were known. After watching Finley tantalize but not quite match his potential, I think TT went for the guy with great hands who runs his routes right every time. And unlike Finley, Rodgers has the size to possibly become an all-around Tight End (blocking) rather than a guy who would rather be a wide receiver. Rodgers is off to a good start in my opinion. He certainly was more effective as a rookie than Finley. Plus, he seems to have the confidence of that other guy named Rodgers. If he can solidify the TE position, he's well worth a 3rd round pick.

[King Friday]

Rodgers was a 3rd round pick, and Findley was a 4th round pick... what sense does that make??

Why not see who winds up with more receptions and TDs as a Packer...then figure out if it makes sense.

[wist43]

Why not see who winds up with more receptions and TDs as a Packer...then figure out if it makes sense.

Finley had huge upside, that's why he makes sense as a 3rd rounder - apologies for misremembering what round he was drafted in; I know you guys love to hold me to the strictest of accuracy

Rodgers does not have huge upside - at best, he will be a servicable player. Personally, I'd like to see our team draft players with legit talent and upside, and hopefully fill a hole, in the first few rounds, and go after good value in the later rounds at positions that aren't as highly valued, i.e. such as Center, when we grabbed Linsley in the 5th round.

Rodgers will likely produce some decent TD numbers, and a middling number of receptions overall b/c of all the other weapons that defenses have to deal with. Those weapons will give Rodgers opportunities he isn't capable of generating on his own; and as I said, he can't return that favor, i.e. defenses are not going to make a point of accounting for Rodgers.

[pbmax]

Rodgers was a 3rd round pick, and Findley was a 4th round pick... what sense does that make??

Rand already pointed out that Findley was a 3rd round pick.

Findley was young (finished his redshirt sophomore season I believe) and had some red flags regarding maturity and depth of his brain pan.

Rodgers was a more known quantity, if not as athletic. However, he was clearly more NFL ready.

Jermichael Findley                                                                                                            
                         Game Game Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece                 
Year     Age  Tm Pos No.    G   GS  Tgt  Rec  Yds  Y/R   TD  Lng  R/G  Y/G  YScm RRTD Fmb AV
2008      21 GNB      88   14    1   12    6   74 12.3    1   35  0.4  5.3  74   1    0   1

Richard Rogers
2014      22 GNB  te  89   16    5   30   20  225 11.3    2   43  1.3 14.1  225  2    0   3

[Carolina_Packer]

I'll be curious to see how he makes the first to second year jump. It's tougher for Richard Rodgers from an expectations standpoint because the team is hoping for more production out of the TE spot, as compared with expectations on someone like Devante Adams who is the 3rd WR. I am most interested to see how his blocking is improved. There were times last year when it looked like he had never thrown a block in his life. Now that the game is slowing down for him, hopefully he can take over the job and keep Q as the backup.

He's never going to have the explosiveness that Finley had, but perhaps he'll be more steady. Finley teased. That shootout playoff game against AZ...wow. He had his moments, but he also never found consistency. I would take a good hands guy who can run a route and get enough separation to make ARod feel comfortable throwing his way.

[MadScientist]

For his size I expected RR to be a better blocker that he was. If he learns that part of the game, he could be a pretty good old-school TE, lining up next to the tackle and blocking or running routes. Chewy would be his ceiling, which is pretty good. With Lacy, having a TE that can block or catch well is good for making the offense less predictable.

[Joemailman]

For his size I expected RR to be a better blocker that he was. If he learns that part of the game, he could be a pretty good old-school TE, lining up next to the tackle and blocking or running routes. Chewy would be his ceiling, which is pretty good. With Lacy, having a TE that can block or catch well is good for making the offense less predictable.

Blocking techniques can be learned. Chewy wasn't a good blocker coming out of Boston College, but he became one of the best.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think he can be solid, and even a decent starter down the line--which isn't all that bad for a third round pick. I think his blocking will improve. He certainly has the size and seems willing. However, he may have great hands, but he'll likely never be dynamic. I hear the reports of his great hands, but then I read this:

S Chris Banjo might have been the most effective defender Monday when the safeties and inside linebackers were matched against the tight ends and running backs in one-on-one coverage. Banjo went 3-1, doing a great job twice against TE Richard Rodgers.

It might not really matter with how dynamic our receiving corps could be. If the receiving corps wasn't so good, I'd be a lot more worried about the TE position.

[vince]

I think he can be solid, and even a decent starter down the line--which isn't all that bad for a third round pick. I think his blocking will improve. He certainly has the size and seems willing. However, he may have great hands, but he'll likely never be dynamic. I hear the reports of his great hands, but then I read this:



It might not really matter with how dynamic our receiving corps could be. If the receiving corps wasn't so good, I'd be a lot more worried about the TE position.

Yup. There's only one ball so they're not all going to be putting up numbers regardless. Rodgers fits the system running routes underneath and reliably moving the chains when needed. With Lacy, he'll also keep the safeties from playing too soft, which is key. He'll catch everything thrown to him, which is just enough to help the receivers be more dangerous.

[Patler]

But there was also this:

Tight end Richard Rodgers made one of the highlight catches of training camp Tuesday with a diving one-handed snag of a Tolzien pass on an out pattern that converted a third down. “I had a feeling he was going to throw it to me, and the ball was going to come out quick,” Rodgers said. “I just came out of (the break), and I knew I could make a play on it once I saw it in the air.”

[smuggler]

Should have saved it for the regular season!

[Tony Oday]

With our WR corp do we need anything but a 4 WR set and Lacy crushing an MLB?

[pbmax]

		2014 Tight Ends
No.	Round	Pick	Player	Name			Team		College
1	1	10	10	Eric Ebron		Lions		North Carolina
2	2	6	38	A Seferian-Jenkins	Buccaneers	Washington
3	2	17	49	Jace Amaro		Jets		Texas Tech
4	2	20	52	Troy Niklas		Cardinals	Notre Dame
5	3	1	65	C.J. Fiedorowicz	Texans		Iowa
6	3	34	98	Richard Rodgers		Packers		California
7	3	35	99	Crockett Gillmore	Ravens		Colorado State
8	5	15	155	Arthur Lynch		Dolphins	Georgia
9	7	2	217	Ted Bolser		Redskins	Indiana
10	7	15	230	Rob Blanchflower	Steelers	Massachusetts

[pbmax]

Set aside for the moment that Pro Football Reference thinks Davante Adams and Allen Hurns are TEs, exactly who is the late round pick that would be an equal to Rodgers?

                                                      Game  Game Misc Misc Misc Misc
Rk                           From   To Draft  Tm  Lg     G    GS  Yrs   PB  AP1   AV
1              Davante Adams 2014 2014  2-53 GNB NFL    16    11    1    0    0    5
2                Allen Hurns 2014 2014       JAX NFL    16     8    1    0    0    4
3                 Jace Amaro 2014 2014  2-49 NYJ NFL    14     4    1    0    0    3
4            Richard Rodgers 2014 2014  3-98 GNB NFL    16     5    1    0    0    3
5             Travis Swanson 2014 2014  3-76 DET NFL    16     5    1    0    0    3
6                 Eric Ebron 2014 2014  1-10 DET NFL    13     7    1    0    0    2
7            Cameron Fleming 2014 2014 4-140 NWE NFL     7     2    1    0    0    2
8    Austin Seferian-Jenkins 2014 2014  2-38 TAM NFL     9     9    1    0    0    2
9          Crockett Gillmore 2014 2014  3-99 RAV NFL    15     1    1    0    0    1
10              Charles Leno 2014 2014 7-246 CHI NFL     6     1    1    0    0    1
11            Kevin Pamphile 2014 2014 5-149 TAM NFL     7     2    1    0    0    1
12             Rashaun Allen 2014 2014       SEA NFL     1     0    1    0    0    0
13               Blake Annen 2014 2014       CHI NFL     5     0    1    0    0    0
14                Alex Bayer 2014 2014       RAM NFL     6     0    1    0    0    0
15             Cameron Brate 2014 2014       TAM NFL     5     1    1    0    0    0
16               Trey Burton 2014 2014       PHI NFL    15     0    1    0    0    0
17          Asante Cleveland 2014 2014       SFO NFL     6     0    1    0    0    0
18            Anthony Denham 2014 2014       HTX NFL     4     0    1    0    0    0
19          C.J. Fiedorowicz 2014 2014  3-65 HTX NFL    15     8    1    0    0    0
20             Gator Hoskins 2014 2014       2TM NFL    15     0    1    0    0    0
                                                     Games Games Misc Misc Misc Misc
Rk                           From   To Draft  Tm  Lg     G    GS  Yrs   PB  AP1   AV
21                Nic Jacobs 2014 2014       JAX NFL    13     4    1    0    0    0
22             Marcel Jensen 2014 2014       JAX NFL     1     0    1    0    0    0
23               Troy Niklas 2014 2014  2-52 CRD NFL     7     2    1    0    0    0
24            Justin Perillo 2014 2014       GNB NFL     2     0    1    0    0    0
25            Scott Simonson 2014 2014       RAI NFL     4     0    1    0    0    0
26           Jordan Thompson 2014 2014       DET NFL     2     0    1    0    0    0

[wist43]

Set aside for the moment that Pro Football Reference thinks Davante Adams and Allen Hurns are TEs, exactly who is the late round pick that would be an equal to Rodgers?

                                                      Game  Game Misc Misc Misc Misc
Rk                           From   To Draft  Tm  Lg     G    GS  Yrs   PB  AP1   AV
1              Davante Adams 2014 2014  2-53 GNB NFL    16    11    1    0    0    5
2                Allen Hurns 2014 2014       JAX NFL    16     8    1    0    0    4
3                 Jace Amaro 2014 2014  2-49 NYJ NFL    14     4    1    0    0    3
4            Richard Rodgers 2014 2014  3-98 GNB NFL    16     5    1    0    0    3
5             Travis Swanson 2014 2014  3-76 DET NFL    16     5    1    0    0    3
6                 Eric Ebron 2014 2014  1-10 DET NFL    13     7    1    0    0    2
7            Cameron Fleming 2014 2014 4-140 NWE NFL     7     2    1    0    0    2
8    Austin Seferian-Jenkins 2014 2014  2-38 TAM NFL     9     9    1    0    0    2
9          Crockett Gillmore 2014 2014  3-99 RAV NFL    15     1    1    0    0    1
10              Charles Leno 2014 2014 7-246 CHI NFL     6     1    1    0    0    1
11            Kevin Pamphile 2014 2014 5-149 TAM NFL     7     2    1    0    0    1
12             Rashaun Allen 2014 2014       SEA NFL     1     0    1    0    0    0
13               Blake Annen 2014 2014       CHI NFL     5     0    1    0    0    0
14                Alex Bayer 2014 2014       RAM NFL     6     0    1    0    0    0
15             Cameron Brate 2014 2014       TAM NFL     5     1    1    0    0    0
16               Trey Burton 2014 2014       PHI NFL    15     0    1    0    0    0
17          Asante Cleveland 2014 2014       SFO NFL     6     0    1    0    0    0
18            Anthony Denham 2014 2014       HTX NFL     4     0    1    0    0    0
19          C.J. Fiedorowicz 2014 2014  3-65 HTX NFL    15     8    1    0    0    0
20             Gator Hoskins 2014 2014       2TM NFL    15     0    1    0    0    0
                                                     Games Games Misc Misc Misc Misc
Rk                           From   To Draft  Tm  Lg     G    GS  Yrs   PB  AP1   AV
21                Nic Jacobs 2014 2014       JAX NFL    13     4    1    0    0    0
22             Marcel Jensen 2014 2014       JAX NFL     1     0    1    0    0    0
23               Troy Niklas 2014 2014  2-52 CRD NFL     7     2    1    0    0    0
24            Justin Perillo 2014 2014       GNB NFL     2     0    1    0    0    0
25            Scott Simonson 2014 2014       RAI NFL     4     0    1    0    0    0
26           Jordan Thompson 2014 2014       DET NFL     2     0    1    0    0    0

The late-round pick that would be equal to Rodgers is - Rodgers