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Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers enough to win NFC?

By Dan Salem

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A quiet offseason for a great team is usually good, but is Aaron Rodgers enough for the Green Bay Packers to re-conquer a crowded NFC? The other top teams have been busy. Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL TD Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate the NFL and sports.

TODD:

The Green Bay Packers have seemed silent this offseason, especially when compared to their NFC title-hopeful peers.

While Dallas is adding high risk and high reward-types, Philadelphia is doing…whatever Chip Kelly is doing, Seattle is adding weapons to help Russell Wilson, there sits Green Bay, not doing much of anything.

The Packers released linebacker stalwarts A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones and didn’t really replace them. This is disappointing on two fronts as it means the inside linebacker spot is still a question, and Clay Matthews may be left inside where he was good last season but not the pass rushing phenom we’ve come to watch.

Other than that, really the only thing GB was up to was re-signing some of its own pieces this spring.

Its draft also went okay but not great. The team added some much needed depth in the defensive backfield; it added a couple interesting upside picks in Ty Montgomery and Brett Hundley; it didn’t take an ILB prospect until pick 129 though, which is not ideal.

Being under the radar during the offseason is not a bad thing necessarily, but where do the Packers currently stand on your NFC hierarchy? To me, they still have to be behind the Seahawks but slot in at number two, ahead of any of the NFC East teams or Arizona, Detroit, etc.

After all, they still have Aaron Rodgers. Even with questions remaining on defense, no offseason move can top that.

Dec 21, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) calls a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

DAN:

You took the words right out of my mouth. Aaron Rodgers alone keeps the Green Bay Packers on top of the NFC North and in the playoff discussion. But that is where our agreement on this debate ends.

More from Green Bay Packers

The Packers still own the NFC North, but that dominance may come into serious jeopardy in 2015. The Lions have continued to improve over the last few seasons, the Vikings are gearing up for a resurgence, and the Bears are far from dead. Although Rodgers keeps his Packers in the driver’s seat, the days of steamrolling through the division are over.

A quiet offseason for a winning team is not bad news. Signing your own guys is great when they themselves have been great. But the Packers’ primary competition for the NFC crown has been busy, busy, pushing Green Bay slightly down the ladder in my opinion.

Seattle is still number one, especially with the addition of Jimmy Graham. The Dallas Cowboys are now two in my mind, even with the departure of their star running back. It’s highly likely that at least one of their high risk signings will pan out, meaning an already solid team has added another star to its arsenal.

Ultimately I see Green Bay tied with Philadelphia for third in the conference, with Arizona riding close behind. I love the new pieces the Eagles have added, but if one or two fail to pan out, then the Packers are once again firmly above them in the standings.

Ranking the teams in the NFC as such means little come playoff time. This is where Green Bay and Rodgers trump the Cowboys in my mind. With less being more, the Packers have quietly positioned themselves for another strong Super Bowl run.

One final move by the Packers really caught my eye this offseason. Green Bay drafted quarterback Brett Hundley out of UCLA in the fifth round. Hundley was talked about as an early round QB prospect, but his stock never rose high enough for serious consideration. The skills are there though, and he was stellar at UCLA. What I love most about this pick is that Green Bay is once again positioning a young QB to learn behind a hall of fame veteran.

Aaron Rodgers was afforded many seasons as Brett Favre‘s backup. Some would say too many. But no matter how you slice it, Rodgers was not rushed onto the field and his career has blossomed because of it. Hundley, assuming he makes the final roster, could be groomed into Rodger’s replacement over five or more years. If Green Bay manages three dominating quarterbacks in a row, wow, talk about unprecedented.

Next: Packers 2015 NFL Draft Grades revisited

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