Packers QB of the future

[Patler]

Rodgers contract runs through 2019, he is a FA for the 2020 season. Significantly, his dead money cap hit becomes 0 in the 2018 season ($13.3M in 2016, $6.65 in 2017). His salaries and bonuses in 2018 and 2019 are $20.9M and $21.1M, respectively (when his dead money hits to GB would be $0). He turned 32 in December.

Brett Hundley's contract runs through 2018. He will be a free agent for the 2019 season. He had an impressive first year preseason. He is 22. The Packers have the opportunity to evaluate Hundley for 3 more years, then will be faced with a decision on his future in GB.

When the Packers are faced with a decision on Hundley, Rodgers will have a very tradeable contract if he is still playing well, and if he isn't playing well can be released without salary cap impact.

The next couple years will be interesting in regard to QB play. If Hundley turns out to be the guy, GB could be set until 2030. That would be remarkable.

[Joemailman]

Waiting for Rodgers to hire Bus Cook as his agent.

[RashanGary]

Remarkable and doubtful. But let's hope!! And yeah, Rodgers doesn't look like he's been able to adapt to a new style with new people. I'm not worshiping him. He can be replaced if you have a GM that has a knack for finding talent.

[Patler]

I am legitimately concerned about Rodgers level of play going forward. Anyone can have an off year, but skills diminish at some point too. Even one of the personnel guys consulted by McGinn for his player ranking article in today's paper had this to say:

"Obviously, he didn't have as good a year as last year. Some of that is not having Jordy. Some of it, something's off with him. I don't know exactly what it is. I can't put my finger on it. I still respect the hell out of him. He can beat you at any point in any game. I don't care if he's playing poorly."

At some point in the next three years, it could be time to pull the plug on the Rodgers era in GB.

[Joemailman]

Some have speculated that Rodgers is playing hurt and that has affected his play. If that is the case, this id the 3rd year in a row that his play has been affected by injuries. That said, great QB's have had a temporary slump in their careers before rebounding back to elite status. Favre in 1999 and 2000 was pretty ordinary before rebounding. Roethlisberger's numbers declined in 2010 and 2011 before he rebounded.

[ThunderDan]

This thread is crazy. ARod is playing behind a MASH unit and get hit at levels unseen in his history at QB.

We hear it week after week on TV about any and every QB, you got to get pressure on him and knock him around. They say that about Mannig, Brady, Brees, you name the QB and it's been said. Get someone in his face, knock him down, get him off rhythm.

Arod has made some horrible throws this year. No doubt about that but to me it starts with the O-line. Name one QB who could have done anything different against ARI.

[ThunderDan]

If ARod plays like this season next year I think we have something to discuss.

[mraynrand]

If ARod plays like this season next year I think we have something to discuss.

Or two years from now is playing poorly. It's a young man's game and 33 year olds age very rapidly in the NFL, especially behind a dogshit line with no running game. See 38 sacks since 6-0 (I think).

[red]

oh man, does this mean we have to see a-rods dick?

[Patler]

This thread is crazy. ARod is playing behind a MASH unit and get hit at levels unseen in his history at QB.

We hear it week after week on TV about any and every QB, you got to get pressure on him and knock him around. They say that about Mannig, Brady, Brees, you name the QB and it's been said. Get someone in his face, knock him down, get him off rhythm.

Arod has made some horrible throws this year. No doubt about that but to me it starts with the O-line. Name one QB who could have done anything different against ARI.

Crazy? I'm not suggesting replacing him next year, I'm looking to where they will find themselves three years from now, at the end of 2018. Rodgers is on a contract that will expire when he will be 36 in 2019. Doesn't it make sense to plan for that day? Not all QBs are as effective after 35 as Favre and a few others were.

Let's assume that Hundley shows over the next two or three preseasons that he has a legitimate chance to be a very good starter. Do you let him leave just to get a couple more years out of Rodgers at the end of his career, especially if Rodgers is not the same player he was up to 2014?

Essentially, the Packers could find themselves in a position similar to what they were in with Favre, just a few years earlier in Rodgers career.

I could go along with your excusing Rodgers because of the O-line injuries if the Rodgers issues arose only after the O-line was decimated by injuries, but that isn't the case. Rodgers accuracy was off even in training camp. Writers asked about it and wrote about it. He experienced more interceptions in camp than he has in the past. Young, inexperienced CBs were getting the interceptions, not just the experienced vets who knew what was coming. I hope it is just a bad year, and he snaps back. But I do not think you can explain it all away by blaming the O-line. How did that impact his accuracy during drills in training camp?

I would like to see Rodgers be the same guy for another 8 or 10 years, but I also know that for some exceptional athletes "it" leaves in their early to mid 30s.

By next year at this time, we should all know if 2015 was an aberration, or an indication of what was coming.

[Tony Oday]

No way our future starting QB is on the roster right now.

[texaspackerbacker]

Assuming Patler has his facts straight in the original post - and I'm not suggesting otherwise, that is a really interesting situation. We have 2 or 3 more years until that zero cap hit happens. A lot can happen by that time. I absolutely love the idea of Huntley being retained long term, and I considered it unlikely - a similar scenario to when we had to decide to retain Rodgers or not at the end of his rookie contract. However, Aaron will be younger than Brett was, and I always took it as a given that he would still be the best in the league at that time.

We all THINK 2015 was an aberration (thinking ain't quite knowing hahahaha) - and truth be told, by any standard other than his previous super excellence, even 2015 hasn't been all that bad. However, if he slides too much, $20+ million would be a helluva lot to pay, especially with an alternative like Huntley already on hand. And if he is still at or near the top of his game, trading him for a couple of #1 picks, not paying that $20+ million (maybe procuring a couple of $10 million free agents hahahaha if Ted retires by then), and moving on with Huntley, that is a pretty tempting picture also.

[pbmax]

No way our future starting QB is on the roster right now.

I don't know Tony. Like Rodgers and Brunell before him, Hundley went from looking like a longshoreman playing QB to very efficient this past pre-season in about 3 Quarters.

He was lights out in Game 3 or 4. He may not develop past that, but he clearly has some talent and can put it out on the field. Based on preseason alone, he would have been the #2 QB.

[Patler]

I don't know Tony. Like Rodgers and Brunell before him, Hundley went from looking like a longshoreman playing QB to very efficient this past pre-season in about 3 Quarters.

He was lights out in Game 3 or 4. He may not develop past that, but he clearly has some talent and can put it out on the field. Based on preseason alone, he would have been the #2 QB.

Ya, with as difficult as it is to find long term QB answers, if Hundley looks like one, it will be difficult to let him get away for a QB in his mid-30's.

[mraynrand]

oh man, does this mean we have to see a-rods dick?

Crock-a-doodle-doo!