Why not see who winds up with more receptions and TDs as a Packer...then figure out if it makes sense.
Printable View
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.
Code: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
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.
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
Finley and Bennett both had maturity/chemistry concerns.
We don't go through the extensive interviews with these players like the staff does.
Odds are that is why both fell.
Because talent wise, I see no resemblance
Yeah, but Finley came out early and had some red flags. There was a risk there. He gave the Packers both - the explosiveness and game changing attributes and the frustrating inconsistencies and idiocies. Keith Jackson was a better tight end, but he was at GB at the end of his career. No other GB TE that I watched (since the 70s) had the wow factor of Finley*.
*No center had the wow factor of Scott Wells either
There's been quite a bit of doubt for two of my favorite draft picks; Randall and rr from last year. I have a feeling rr is going to blow finleys production out of the water because ar will trust him to be where he's supposed to be AND he'll catch it. In an Aaron Rodgers lead offense, those two things are worth more than speed ever will be. Rr is a good player who's a great fit for our team!!
FWIW, I agree that Finley was more talented than RRodgers is, but RRodgers has shown more consistency. Rodgers doesn't need to be an elite athlete; but if he catches what's thrown to him and helps keep the chains moving (and serve as the QB's safety valve) that's ok with me. With the WR corps GB has they don't need him to be elite.
I remember quite a few. After watching a play, I would grab the sides of my head, shake it a bit and mutter "wow!" This usually happened as the punt team was coming on to the field.*
* Finley often caused the same reaction from me, following yet another drop. Scott Wells never did, that I can recall.
(Never mind!)