Green Bay Packers: Has Aaron Rodgers been given the support he deserves?
By Lucas Schuh
Aaron Rodgers is an all-time great quarterback but has he received the support an all-time deserves from the Green Bay Packers?
The Green Bay Packers aren’t an NFL team typically associated with locker-room drama. But that couldn’t be further from the truth this offseason. Specifically, Aaron Rodgers is not a happy man when it comes to his situation with the organization that drafted him in 2005.
Rodgers’ disgruntled stance stems from a number of factors, from Green Bay drafting Jordan Love in the first round last year without discussing the plan with him to cutting receiver Jake Kumerow a day after Rodgers praised him, among many other reasons. The relationship between Rodgers, the franchise and general manager Brian Gutekunst is fraught, to say the least.
Gutekunst took over as GM in 2018, only the 10th man to hold the position in franchise history. Prior to him, Ted Thompson was the head man for the Packers, taking over in 2005 and actually drafting Rodgers while Green Bay still had Brett Favre. The reigning NFL MVP is surely believing the organization is planning a similar transition with Love.
Amid all of Rodgers’ gripes, though, one thing that consistently comes up is the help the Green Bay Packers have provided on the roster around him. That’s what we’re exploring today as we deep dive into every facet of the situation to see if the Packers have actually done right in building around Aaron Rodgers. (All stats are courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.)
How have the Green Bay Packers built the defense around Aaron Rodgers?
Aaron Rodgers didn’t take over from Favre as the starter until 2008. And when he did, the defense was not very good, ranking 22nd in points allowed and 20th in yards allowed in that first season at the helm of the offense. However, things started to come together a bit in the following years.
Green Bay selected Clay Matthews in the first round of the 2009 draft and he racked up 10 sacks as a rookie. Moreover, the defense had a strong secondary headlined by Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams and Nick Collins. That season, the Packers finished 11-5 but lost in the Wild Card Round, 51-45, to the Cardinals.
Things progressed the next season as Matthews improved to 13 sacks while linebacker Desmond Bishop was one of the best in the league at his position. In 2010, the Packers finished the year ranking second in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed. That year, of course, saw Green Bay win the lone Super Bowl of Rodgers’ career, topping the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But the defense digressed thereafter. Green Bay didn’t rank in the top 10 of points or yards allowed in any season from 2011-18, largely due to injuries and offseason moves. Players like Bishop and Collins never recaptured their form and saw various ailments derail their success. Moreover, the Packers’ moves to find that success defensively again fell flat.
A.J. Hawk was one of the biggest swings for the franchise but, while popular, he never lived up to being the No. 5 overall pick. Brad Jones, Jamari Latimore, Sam Barrington and Jake Ryan, among others, never lived up to what Bishop did in 2010 either. And the same can be said about the cornerback spot after Woodson left after 2021.
Casey Hayward Jr. came in as Woodson was about to depart and looked like a young star but, after his rookie deal expired, Ted Thompson elected not to retain him. There were other shots taken at quarterback but the likes of Quinten Rollins, Damarious Randall, Micah Hyde and Kevin King never worked out in Green Bay.
Gutekunst changed that in his first year when he selected Jaire Alexander in the first round. While some criticized the pick with Derwin James still on the board, the Louisville product has established himself as one of the best in the NFL at the position. He also selected Eric Stokes in the first round of the 2021 draft.
Up front, Matthews dominated off the edge with multiple double-digit sack seasons early in his career but transitioned to a hybrid inside/edge linebacker role after a few years. The addition of veteran Julius Peppers paired Matthews with a strong presence and the duo was quite stout.
After some lean years after Peppers departed, though, Gutekunst struck again when he landed the Smith Bros., Za’Darius and Preston (not actually related), and the duo has wreaked havoc in the NFC North. On the interior, Mike Daniels became a late-bloomer after years of needing help in the trenches and he then made way for Kenny Clark, who has been a star in recent years, at least when he can stay on the field.