Green Bay Packers: Has Aaron Rodgers been given the support he deserves?
By Lucas Schuh
How have the Green Bay Packers built the offense around Aaron Rodgers?
More so than the defense, the offensive talent directly impacts quarterback play. Quality offensive line and receiving talent can elevate the performance of any signal-caller. And the offensive line has been a clear strength around Rodgers with the Packers.
When Rodgers initially took over in 2008, the line was comprised of Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher, Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge and Scott Wells. But that group struggled to remain intact for a number of reasons. Wells and Tauscher, specifically, both struggled with injuries that led to their eventual departures via their release.
Josh Sitton, however, stuck around for quite a while with Rodgers in Green Bay. He didn’t start in 2008 but took over the following season and was dominant. He played with the Packers until 2015 before heading elsewhere. But unlike at many spots on defense, the franchise has had little problem replacing linemen to keep their quarterback safe.
In 2009 and 2010, respectively, the Packers drafted T.J. Lang and Bryan Bulaga. The former was a stalwart on the interior for eight years in Green Bay while the latter manned the right tackle spot at a high level for nine seasons.
The trend of getting help in the trenches continued as Corey Linsley, drafted in 2014, became one of the league’s best centers. And a year prior, the team selected David Bakhtiari, who has established himself as an elite blindside protector. And while Thompson was behind many of the O-line selections, Gutekunst has somewhat continued, most recently landing Elgton Jenkins, who has quickly established his presence as a high-end guard in the NFL.
Wide receiver has been a hotly discussed topic with Rodgers and the Packers but Green Bay has rarely been without either a top-tier or multiple solid receivers over the past decade-plus. At the beginning of Rodgers’ time as the starter, the pass-catchers included Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jermichael Finley, an aging Donald Driver and rookie Jordy Nelson.
While there wasn’t a star in that group, Nelson soon took up that mantle, namely in the 2011 season when he dominated with 71 catches for 1,302 yards and 15 touchdowns. He continued to be a huge factor in the passing offense but he wasn’t alone as Jones and Randall Cobb were great complementary weapons.
When Nelson showed signs of declining, though, the Packers let him walk. Luckily, they had another stud ready to take up the mantle with Davante Adams. A second-round pick like Nelson, Adams took a couple of seasons to find his footing but there’s been no looking back since as he’s become an elite wide receiver.