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Packers QB Aaron Rodgers

According to the team’s official website, the Packers have signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a multi-year contract extension.

The move was announced Friday by Packers general manager Ted Thompson. Rodgers is now the highest paid player in league history after signing a five-year extension worth $110 million. Reports are that the contract calls for Rodgers to be paid 40 million in the first year and 62.5 million in the first three years (500K more than Joe Flacco). His salary cap number will never exceed 21M.

“Aaron is a true professional and a special player,” Thompson said, per Packers.com. “He works hard, is humble, and is focused on his actions, on and off the field. He is an excellent teammate and pushes himself and others to be the very best. We are happy to reach an agreement to extend his career with the Packers.”

Rodgers had two years remaining on his previous deal, but the new contract will keep him in Green Bay for the foreseeable future.

Thompson spent his first draft pick as Packers general manager on Rodgers, the No. 24 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. After sitting behind Brett Favre for three years, Rodgers took over as the team’s starting quarterback in 2008.

In his first season as the starter, Rodgers threw for 4,038 yards, 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His 93.8 passer rating was the lowest of his career, as he’s posted a rating of at least 101.2 in each of the past four seasons.  Read more... (387 words + 1 image, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

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Minnesota quarterback Marqueis Gray with his fiancee, Alley Behr, and their three children — Tessa, top left, and nine-month-old twins, MarZell, left, and MarShawn, right. (Photo from Pioneer Press)

Green Bay Packers NFL Draft prospect profile: QB/WR MarQueis Gray

Player Information:

MarQueis Gray, QB/WR Minnesota
6-3, 240 pounds
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN

STATS

NFL Combine:

40 time: 4.73 second
Bench press: 15 reps
20-yard shuttle: 4.30

News and Notes:

I like to torture myself by following the Minnesota Gophers football team, so I thought I should do a draft profile for one of its players. … Highly recurited out of Ben Davis High School in Indiana as a dual threat QB. … Moved between QB and WR at Minnesota. … Has worked out some as a TE at the NFL combine and at his pro day. … More of a running threat than a passing threat at QB. … Ran for 11 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons. … Had some buzz as a possible slot WR type of player, but slow 40 time at the combine has hurt him. … Gray says he’s been bothered by an injured ankle. … The Colts hold the last pick in the draft. Could Gray’s Indiana ties make him a candidate to be this year’s Mr. Irrelevant as the last player chosen in the draft?

What they’re saying about him:  Read more... (864 words + 1 image, estimated 3:27 mins reading time)

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Thanks to Aaron Rodgers, and the guidance of Mike McCarthy, the Packers are set at QB.

Packers quarterbacks:  That Aaron Rodgers guy is pretty good. Should he ever get hurt for an extended stretch (God forbid), things could go south in a hurry. Most teams are in the same boat as the Packers when it comes to quarterback. If the starter gets hurt, they’re screwed. Fans like to get all worked up over the backup quarterback. “Bring in a good backup,” they yell. “I want someone with experience,” they cry. Well, if the backup QB was good, he probably wouldn’t be a backup in the first place. And bringing in a veteran? I’ll take a low-cost young guy with a high ceiling over someone with experience who is overpriced, washed up, and probably no good, anyway.

Where are we now:

Here are the current suspects;

Aaron Rodgers (1st round)
Graham Harrell (7th round)
B.J. Coleman (7th round)

Listen to expanded coverage of this topic using the player below or download the podcast from the Packers Talk Radio Network on Itunes.

Aaron Rodgers: The most physically gifted quarterback in the game. By now, we all know what Rodgers is good at. If we wanted him to be even better, I suppose we could point to his tendency to hold the ball and ignore underneath receivers. Sometimes it feels like Rodgers is almost too talented for his own good. He’s always trying to wriggle around the pocket and keep his eyes downfield, hoping a receiver comes open deep for a bomb. Sometimes you want to shake Rodgers and tell him that there’s nothing wrong with a “normal” five-yard pass every now and then. That’s getting really nit-picky, though. It’s not like Rodgers never throws underneath and always holds the ball too long.

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Player Information:

Jordan Rodgers, QB Vanderbilt
6-1, 212 pounds
Hometown: Chico, CA

STATS

NFL Combine:

Not invited

News and Notes:

Based on the comments from my previous draft posts, I’d like to point out that this is a prospect profile, not a draft prediction.  I haven’t analyzed a player who I think the Packers will take at 26 and that trend is going to continue; in fact I’m not advocating one way or the other that the Packers should draft/sign Jordan Rodgers at all. With that being said, Jordan Rodgers is an interesting prospect because he’s almost a reflection of what Aaron Rodgers’ story might have been had it not gone as well; Jordan also started at Butte Community College, where he lead the team to it’s first undefeated season in his second year.  He then transfered to a big name football program (Vanderbilt) but ended up redshirting his freshmen year with a shoulder injury.  From there he rode the bench until injuries struck and ended up as the starter, again much like his brother.  However, it took Jordan two years to transfer out of JUCO, then lost a year after getting a medical redshirt and only ended up as the legitimate starter in his senior year.  All in all, Jordan Rodgers will begin his NFL career at 25 while his older brother was only 21, which makes Aaron’s story all that more incredible.  It’s hard to imagine how different Aaron Rodger’s story would be if Jeff Tedford hadn’t come up to Chico to scout a tight end or if Rodgers hadn’t had the chance to start as a junior, but in fact that story might be Jordan Rodgers.  Read more... (1167 words + 1 image, estimated 4:40 mins reading time)

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Aaron Rodgers and Colt McCoy

Packers backup quarterback Graham Harrell replaced Aaron Rodgers on the team’s first possession in the second quarter, and he remained on the field well into the fourth quarter.

The Packers got an extensive look at Harrell during the game, but in almost three quarters of action, he was only able to muster up a meager three points for the offense. Harrell completed 12 of 24 passes for 100 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. And he drew a flag for intentional grounding in the endzone, resulting in a safety.

In completing fifty-percent of his passes, throwing two picks and recording a safety, it was a night to forget for the Packers’ backup quarterback.

But on the other sideline, Cleveland backup QB Colt McCoy looked like his usual steady self during his only possession of the night.

McCoy replaced starter Brandon Weeden in the middle of the third quarter and led the Browns on an impressive 14-play, 75-yard scoring drive capped off by a Brandon Jackson touchdown run. The former Texas star carved up the Packers’ reserves, completing four of six passes for 58 yards on the drive.

With the starting job occupied by Weeden, many have speculated about McCoy’s availability via trade. The most common suggestions to land McCoy? The Philadelphia Eagles with QB-guru Andy Reid, and the Packers.

General manager Ted Thompson certainly won’t speak on any specific personnel moves until something comes to fruition, but if the Browns offer McCoy for a late-round draft pick, Thompson may be tempted.  Read more... (364 words + 1 image, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)

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Boise State QB Kellen Moore: Matt Flynn's replacement?

Green Bay Packers draft prospect profile: Kellen Moore

Player information:

Kellen Moore QB, Boise State

6’0”, 197 lbs

Hometown: Prosser, WA

NFL Combine:

40 yard dash:  4.94

Vertical jump:  27”

Broad jump: 8’3”

20 yard shuttle: 4.56

3-cone drill: 7.41

News and Notes:

Finished fourth in the Heisman voting in 2010.  Holds the NCAA Division I record for career wins by quarterback with 50.  Played on a Boise State team that many thought deserved to have a shot at the national title despite playing in a weaker conference, which could be why some are projecting Moore to be drafted in the sixth or seventh round.  Finished his college career with a 69.8% completion rating throwing for 14,667 yards and 142 touchdowns to just 28 interceptions.  Named by Sporting News as the top player in the nation, ahead of likely number one overall pick Andrew Luck. Won one BCS bowl in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl, beating TCU 17-10

What they’re saying about him:

Rob Rang, NFLDraftScout.com: “With such an impressive collegiate resume, Moore will get his shot at the next level, but, as he showed Tuesday in practice, he has an uphill battle because of his size and arm limitations. Moore has very good touch and anticipation on this passes, but, to little surprise, his lack of arm strength was exposed on several pro-style passes and scouts have been discouraged with his unorthodox mechanics. There is a place in the NFL for a brilliant offensive mind like Moore, but he hasn’t shown anything in practice to warrant a pick in the top five rounds.”  Read more... (684 words + 1 image, estimated 2:44 mins reading time)

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Every positive hyperbole you could possibly think of has been used on Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and his performance level through seven games in 2011. While there is no doubt that he’s playing at a level above any quarterback in the NFL this season, where does Rodgers’ 2011 season rank historically?

We’ll start by showing you Rodgers’ current and projected 16-game stats, followed by breakdowns of other historically great quarterbacking seasons. You can make the call from there.

One last thing: You’ll notice that no season from earlier than 1994 is included. If we go back too far, say to Otto Graham or Sid Luckman, we lose the ability to compare and contrast stats on a worthwhile basis. So while there are other great seasons by quarterbacks not mentioned here, I picked the ones that can statistically stack up with this era of passing football.

AARON RODGERS 2011  Read more... (1934 words + 1 image, estimated 7:44 mins reading time)

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