Brian Brohm

[RashanGary]

The QB position can be overwealming for a rookie. They have to know the responsiblities of every WR, TE and RB. They have to understand the line calls and know when to change protection. They have to be able to quickly read a defense and deal with the constant disguising that goes on when teams know a rookie is starting. If their footwork and mechanics are off their accuracy is going to be effected so they have to constantly focus on their fundementals. They have to learn a whole new football language and be a team guy and leader all at the same time.

It's really a pretty tough job, but he's the #2 QB so he's going to have to get ready.

Ideally, you want to build the QB from the bottom up with vanilla offense and just focusing on doing things the right way until it's habit. After a year of that, the QB can start mastering the offense and the decision making aspect. The Packers don't really have this luxury, but luckily Brohm is the most NFL ready QB this year and maybe in the last couple years. His mechanics are sound. Maybe they can give him the crash course. They can focus on getting him ready. They can fix one or two things fundementally, but save the finer details for next off season and allow Brohm to just focus on playing.


What kind of situation is he walking into? Is he going to have a chance with the 2nd unit?

James Jones
Jordy Nelson

Jermichael Finley
Brandon Jackson
John Kuhn

Orin Thompson
Allen Barbre
Spitz? Rookie?
Junius Coston
Tony Moll


I think this is a pretty strong 2nd unit. James Jones and Jordy Nelson are elite 2nd unit weapons. Finley, Jackson and Kuhn are a good 2nd TE/RB group. His Oline is a pretty experienced, athletic group. They're probably better than the starters 2 and 3 years ago.


If the goal is to get him ready for this year, I think it's accutally and unusually achievable. He's not going to be working with stumble bums that don't know the offense and can't make plays for him. His mechanics appear to be good enough for now. All he has to do is learn the whole offense (WR's, TE's, RB's, OL) and quickly adjust to NFL defenses. Well, that's a lot and often times it fails, but I think he's got the right coach, right situation and the solid fundementals to adapt quicker than usual. who knows? If Rodgers goes down, the Packers might have a guy ready to play sooner than many think possible.

[Brandon494]

As much as Im going to miss Farve, I really do like the young QBs we have on this team. Also the recievers we have are really going to help these guys out.

[oregonpackfan]

As much as Im going to miss Favre, I really do like the young QBs we have on this team. Also the recievers we have are really going to help these guys out.

The transition of QB's should be very interesting. After having the same QB for 16 years in a row, the Packers may struggle offensively for the first half of the season. We Packer fans need to be patient with Rodgers.

[RashanGary]

I don't know if I'm quite on board with giving Rodgers time. I don't expect him to be as good at everything as Favre was. I fully expect Rodgers to take more sacks (sometimes that will be a good thing, others a bad). I don't expect him to be as good as Favre at throwing the slant.

I do expect him to make good decisions. He knows this offense as well as Favre. He's had time to study NFL defenses. His footwork and mechanics are squeeky clean from his time with McCarthy. There is no excuse for erratic accuracy or bad decisions. Maybe he won't be as good as Favre, but if he's not good at all, there is something wrong. Rodgers doesn't have an excuse to lose. This is the NFL, if he's not good enough it's not an insult, he's just not good enough and it will be time to move forward. I'm not saying he has to play mistake free, but he can't be going out there losing games for us. Rodgers standard should be much higher than Brohms right now. If Brohm is even close to as good as Rodgers at this point in his career, I would go wtih Brohm because that means Rodgers is awfull.

[Brandon494]

As much as Im going to miss Favre, I really do like the young QBs we have on this team. Also the recievers we have are really going to help these guys out.

The transition of QB's should be very interesting. After having the same QB for 16 years in a row, the Packers may struggle offensively for the first half of the season. We Packer fans need to be patient with Rodgers.

I dont think we'll be the #2 offense in the league again next season but I still see using in the top 10. Rodgers has been groomed the last 3 seasons by McCarthy. He will be fine.

[Gunakor]

I don't know if I'm quite on board with giving Rodgers time. I don't expect him to be as good at everything as Favre was. I fully expect Rodgers to take more sacks (sometimes that will be a good thing, others a bad). I don't expect him to be as good as Favre at throwing the slant.

I do expect him to make good decisions. He knows this offense as well as Favre. He's had time to study NFL defenses. His footwork and mechanics are squeeky clean from his time with McCarthy. There is no excuse for erratic accuracy or bad decisions. Maybe he won't be as good as Favre, but if he's not good at all, there is something wrong. Rodgers doesn't have an excuse to lose. This is the NFL, if he's not good enough it's not an insult, he's just not good enough and it will be time to move forward. I'm not saying he has to play mistake free, but he can't be going out there losing games for us. Rodgers standard should be much higher than Brohms right now. If Brohm is even close to as good as Rodgers at this point in his career, I would go wtih Brohm because that means Rodgers is awfull.

He knows this offense, but certainly not as well as Favre did. Favre took all the reps in practice. Favre took all the snaps in a game. Favre had the timing down - critical to an efficient WCO gameplan. Rodgers does not. Rodgers hasn't gotten those vital reps before. He hasn't been throwing to the first team offense so his timing may be off. He knows the plays, but that alone won't make him an efficient WCO quarterback.

Look back in NFL history at all of the legendary QB's to have played and thier first replacements. There is only one time I can think of where thier respective fans have not been disappointed. When Elway retired, the Denver fans didn't get even half an Elway, and the same with Marino. Same with Staubach, and Tarkington, and Namath, and Bradshaw, and Starr, and same as is going to be with Brady and Brees and Rothlisberger and 2 different Mannings. Same as countless others not named Montana. So lets not fool ourselves into believing that we are automatically going to be getting even half a Favre, because history tells us we probably are not.

[HarveyWallbangers]

ARod will be the man this year. He'll be on a long leash. Preseason often doesn't tell you what you need to know. Defenses aren't very exotic.

I'm not sure why JH is on the Brohm kick, but I think ARod is more likely to be the long-term answer. He has better arm strength than Brohm. He has better mobility than Brohm. They both seem accurate and they both are intelligent. The only question about ARod is his durability, but a lot of scouts question Brohm's durability also. He took a lot of big hits in college because his lack of mobility (although he has decent speed, he doesn't have near the quickness and escability that ARod has), and that could be a problem in the pros.

[RashanGary]

I'm not on a Brohm kick at all. Both could be good, one could be good or neither could be any good. I'm not all about giving a guy who's had that much time to get his game right another year to figure it out. He's going to have some growing pains, but it should be no worse than Rivers or Rothlisburger (other guys who came into good teams recently). I don't think Rivers or Rothisburger are HOFers. They're good players. We're looking for a good player to play QB too. If Rodgers isn't a good player then I'm of the opinion that you give the next guy a chance. I don't expect a champion, I just don't want to trot out a loser week in and week out. He has to win some games and push the Vikings for the North.

[falco]

I'm not on a Brohm kick at all. Both could be good, one could be good or neither could be any good. I'm not all about giving a guy who's had that much time to get his game right another year to figure it out. He's going to have some growing pains, but it should be no worse than Rivers or Rothlisburger (other guys who came into good teams recently). I don't think Rivers or Rothisburger are HOFers. They're good players. We're looking for a good player to play QB too. If Rodgers isn't a good player then I'm of the opinion that you give the next guy a chance. I don't expect a champion, I just don't want to trot out a loser week in and week out. He has to win some games and push the Vikings for the North.

i like your logic there JH.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Both could be good, one could be good or neither could be any good.

Who do predict will be better?

[CaliforniaCheez]

As good as Brohm is, he is still a "dumb" rookie. He should make great progress by 2009 season.

Rodgers make his largest stride between year 2 and year 3 (we hope for even more between year 3 and 4).

Brohm will be a lightweight as a #2 but a good #3.

The risk diminishes over time. The each week that Rodgers does not get injured means further development for Brohm.

Brohm will likely make you more nervous in preseason but remind yourself that there will be progress every week. Flynn could be learning more rapidly.

The O-line and QB protection is extremely important this season.

[RashanGary]

If I had to go with my gut I would say Brohm. I think Rodgers has a chance, but his pocket presence scares me. When pressure comes he doesn't seem to slide and pass. He just tucks and runs. Brohm seems to slide away and pass at the same time. It's not too much for him to focus on the play down field and the pressure at the same time. Favre was rare in that he fell away from the pressure and passed. The good QB's I watch can throw well without a perfect pocket. Rodgers hasn't shown me that yet. He just ran whenever anyone was near him. It's been some small samples, but initially I get a better feeling about Brohm just watching the plays he made from the pocket at Louiville.

[RashanGary]

I agree, cali cheese. If Rodgers can make it through 8 or 10 games, I think Brohm will be far enough along to come in and keep our playoff hopes alive untill Rodgers comes back. The soonest I really want to see Brohm is next season or if we get eliminated from the playoffs I'd rather we go to Brohm just to see what we have.

[oregonpackfan]

Look back in NFL history at all of the legendary QB's to have played and thier first replacements. There is only one time I can think of where thier respective fans have not been disappointed. When Elway retired, the Denver fans didn't get even half an Elway, and the same with Marino. Same with Staubach, and Tarkington, and Namath, and Bradshaw, and Starr, and same as is going to be with Brady and Brees and Rothlisberger and 2 different Mannings. Same as countless others not named Montana. So lets not fool ourselves into believing that we are automatically going to be getting even half a Favre, because history tells us we probably are not.[/quote]

Gunakor,

Your point is well documented that replacements for legendary QB's often struggle. One exception is Steve Young replacing Joe Montana. Young had an all-Pro career with the 49'ers.

If you recall, Young was not new to the NFL. He started with the Tampa Bay Bucs, who at the time, were the worst team in the NFL. Young struggled with the Bucs. When he went to the 49'ers he sat on the bench while Montana was still starting. When Montana went to the Chiefs, Young finally had his chance to shine with a quality team.

[texaspackerbacker]

The whole situation for the Packers--O Line, RBs, Receivers, Quality D, etc.--is a near-perfect set-up for success for Rodgers or Brohm.

I am optimistic that Rodgers will do at least as well as Favre did/would have done is his gradually winding down status. In every physical category except arm strength, he should be clearly better than Favre.

Brohm also would be set-up for success if he had to start. I think he has the ability to be very very good, too. However, I would still expect a lot more rookie-type mistakes with Brohm. Thus, I think it's clear that Rodgers plays unless injuries prevent it. Brohm will be an adequate backup this year, an outstanding backup by '09, and trade bait for a first rounder or more by '10.