Revisiting the previous season, a total of five coaches got the axe. Kliff Kingsbury, Lovie Smith, Matt Rhule, Frank Reich and Nathaniel Hackett are all out. Of the five that were let go, only Frank Reich landed another NFL Head Coaching position as he signed on with the Carolina Panthers. You can expect around the same number to be fired next year if not more. NFL teams are hiring and firing coaches more quickly now (see Hackett).

With that said we picked five coaches that are currently on the hot seat for the upcoming season. Keep an eye on these coaches as it will be important for all of them to start fast when the season starts.

Robert Saleh – New York Jets

Robert Saleh very well could’ve been fired following the 2022-2023 season. The Jets spiraled out of the NFL playoff picture losing their last 6 games. Despite having a stellar NFL Draft, they lacked a true offensive identity and finished near the bottom in total points (296).

In steps Aaron Rodgers to try and revitalize the Jets franchise. Rodgers brought with him some old friends in Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. He also has Nathaniel Hackett running the offense as the two former Packers team up again. The expectations are now sky-high and if the Jets start off the season slow it may be Saleh that pays the price.

Kevin Stefanski – Cleveland Browns

Kevin Stefanski had a dream debut season for Cleveland. The Browns finished that season with an 11-5 record and made the playoffs. In their Wild Card matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the offense was unstoppable and they put up a whopping 48 points. It seemed as if Stefanski and Baker Mayfield were the perfect match. Since then things haven’t gone as planned. Mayfield is no longer with the Browns and Deshaun Watson was brought in on a massive contract.

Cleveland is now predicted to finish last in the AFC North next season. Stefanski will need a strong season from Watson and the offense as a whole to keep his job.

Mike McCarthy – Dallas Cowboys

If this were any other team in the NFL Mike McCarthy would be safe. The Cowboys finished last season with a 12-5 record and a playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yet there is a sense of urgency that Dallas needs to produce better postseason results.

They since have let go of their promising offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. McCarthy has taken over the play-calling duties and with that is more added pressure. If the Cowboys don’t make the playoffs or fail to advance in the postseason, Jerry Jones may lose his patience.

Matt LaFleur – Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers have officially entered the Jordan Love era. Whether it’s fair or not, Matt LaFleur’s future depends on how well Love progresses. Aaron Rodgers leaving could be a blessing in disguise for the Packers franchise. It could also end up being the start of a stretch where Green Bay is no longer relevant and they are back in the quarterback market next year. Regardless, the microscope will be on LaFleur as he enters the upcoming season.

Ron Rivera – Washington Commanders

It’s already been an unusual offseason for Head Coach Ron Rivera. The Washington Commanders are finally getting rid of their hated owner Dan Snyder. This alone has caused a new level of optimism around the franchise. They also brought in Eric Bieniemy as Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. With that, there is a bit of strange dynamic while they wait for future owner Josh Harris to take over.

Will Rivera be safe until next year? No one really knows but don’t discount the Bieniemy effect. Early reports from Commanders OTA’s are saying Rivera has delegated many duties to Bieniemy. It’s plausible that Bieniemy has been tabbed the Head Coach in waiting. This situation is worth keeping an eye on as we get into training camp.

Looking for more NFL news and featured articles? Check out our NFL section.

The post NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat Right Now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl Pretenders or Contenders?

The Green Packers are back to winning ways after a terrible run of form, beating the Dallas Cowboys in overtime thanks to a Mason Crosby field goal.
 
Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers went into the London game against the New York Giants with a 3-1 record. Despite leading the game 10-3 after the first quarter and leading 20-10 at halftime, they ended up losing 27-22. Until Sunday, they had not won since.
 
They lost games that nobody would have predicted, including games against the New York Jets, Washington Commanders, and Detroit Lions.
 
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has struggled to recapture his form this season, after two back-to-back MVP-winning campaigns.
 
However, despite their 4-6 record at the time of writing,  they are still ninth in the NFC seeding and just one win away from the San Francisco 49ers who currently occupy the seventh seed.
 
So, are the Packers Super Bowl pretenders or contenders?

Learning From The Chiefs

If any team is to learn from another who overcame adversity and media scrutiny to make the playoffs, it is the 2021 Kansas City Chiefs.
 
Much like the Packers this year, the Chiefs went into last season as one of the Super Bowl favourites after two back-to-back appearances.
 
Despite winning their season opener, Kansas City lost three of their next four and after the conclusion of week seven, they were 3-4. They only went on to lose one more game and finished the season as the AFC West champions with a 12-5 record and would make it all the way to the AFC Conference Championship game.
 
A second-half collapse in the game prevented them from making a third straight Super Bowl and they should have been there at SoFi Stadium facing the Los Angeles Rams. They showed that you should not crown champions or announce teams to be dead to rights with only half the season game. After all, the New England Patriots often started slowly in Super Bowl-winning years.
 
This feels the same for Green Bay. Whilst the current 8-1 record of NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings means they are unlikely to make the postseason as division winners, a Wildcard Round spot does not appear out of the realms of possibility.
 
Rodgers snapped back-to-back games with an interception, cutting out ugly plays that was seen in the Lions loss. Rookie wideout Christian Watson finally showed what he could do with Rodgers and this is frightening for the rest of the league.
 
We all saw his connection with Davante Adams and it is clear Rodgers missed him. There is no better time for Watson to finally come into his own.

There is also the run game, which appeared to bring success against Dallas in Week Ten. The Packers had 39 carries as opposed to just 14 receptions. Aaron Jones led the way, with 138 rushing yards and one touchdown from 24 carries.

There appears to be a change of game plan from Head Coach Matt LaFleur, with Jones running for the most carries in any single game this season. Subsequently, this resulted in his second-highest yards total for any game in the 2022 campaign.

The flip to the run game, as a result, saw Rodgers throw for his lowest single-game completion this season, with just 20 attempted passes (14 completed) against Dallas. He has only thrown for less than 30 attempted passes this season, as seen in the Week Two 27-10 win over the Chicago Bears. Could the run game be the secret to success for any late Packers playoff run?

A Tough Schedule Still Remains

Their schedule is the one factor that could derail any late-season push in their search for a playoff appearance. The Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, and Minnesota still await.
 
The Packers have beaten both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cowboys. They will use this as inspiration for their upcoming opponents, but they need to be wary that any slip-up could burst the bubble of any hope of postseason football.

Pretenders or Contenders?

Right now, you would have to still say they are pretenders. After all, it is just one win. However, their game against Tennessee Titans on Thursday Night Football is the true test of whether last Sunday’s win over the Cowboys was a one-off.

Only four teams have allowed more rushing yards this season than the Packers (1,406) and they are seventh-worst in the league for rushing yards allowed per game (140.6). They will not welcome the prospect of playing Derrick Henry this week.

Henry is seen by many as the best running back in the league, and currently possesses the second-most rushing yards this season (923), and only Nick Chubb has more rushing touchdowns than Henry (9). If they can handle Henry and get the win at Lambeau Field, his could be the start of a remarkable run. If they lose, they will be sent straight back down to earth with a reality check.

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By: Jeremy Trottier

Being a head coach in the NFL is an extremely hard job, almost every year we see college coaches fail to make the transition and succeed.  We have all-time great coaches as well, like Bill Belichick and Mike Tomlin currently.  We also have brand new head coaches, like Matt Eberflus and Nathaniel Hackett, among others.  With this, we are bound to underrate some head coaches in the mix, and in this article, I will be going over 3 head coaches who you may be underrating yourself. 

Mike Vrabel ”“ Tennessee Titans

Career Record: 43-27 (61.4% win rate)

First up we have head coach of the Tennessee Titans ever since 2018, Mike Vrabel.  In 4 seasons as head coach, Mike Vrabel has the 6^th best win rate among active head coaches, behind Matt LaFleur, Sean McVay, Bill Belichick, Mike Tomlin, and Andy Reid, all of whom are extremely highly regarded.  Vrabel has taken a team that prior to his tenure had not won it’s division since 2002 and has brought it to 2 first place finishes in the division the last two seasons.  He has also brought the Titans to 3 straight playoff appearances after only 1 in the last 9 years prior to his tenure (2017).  Is this partially due to how dominant Derrick Henry has been? For sure.  But it is also his ability to scheme receivers open and get the passing game going when Henry is missing, which we really saw last year. 

Matt LaFleur ”“ Green Bay Packers

Career Record: 41-13 (75.9% win rate)

Matt LaFleur has the highest active win rate of any NFL head coach.  Granted, that is on a 3-year sample size with one of the, if not the best receiver in the league and a top 5 QB.  However, he has taken the Packers to 3 playoff appearances in his 3 seasons so far as head coach, 2 of 3 times making it to the NFCCG.  They have also had an extremely positive points differential each season under LaFleur, 63,140, and 79 respectively.  His ability to take the team and make it perform at its highest level is what makes him so underrated, as many believe he has been carried by his roster. 

John Harbaugh ”“ Baltimore Ravens

Career Record: 148-96 (.607 win rate)

Finally, we look at John Harbaugh, who has been one of the better coaches of the past 2 decades.  For some reason, he is just completely left out of the upper echelon of head coaches in the NFL currently, despite being a Super Bowl winner and coaching up many players to turn out really well.  This team seems to have players each year that go on to start elsewhere very quickly, specifically Darren Waller, Hayden Hurst, Za’Darius Smith, Lawrence Guy, etc.  Overall Harbaugh should be seen up with the upper league of head coaches, but he just is not for one reason or another. 

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By: Jake Rajala

The Green Bay Packers Nicholas Cage-like quarterback in Aaron Rodgers somewhat hogs the spotlight of the Packers pass-rushing abilities. The Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary, who is coming off a 9.5 sack season (and obtaining an unearthly 89.3 grade by PFF), has really blossomed this off-season. Per The Athletic, Matt LaFleur stated, “He’s got the capability of wrecking practice. He probably would have four sacks (Thursday). He’s just relentless. He plays with a great motor and energy, and I think it rubs off on everybody. He makes everybody around him better.” There isn’t any reason that Gary should set his sights on breaking Clay Matthew’s career-best single-season sack figure (13.5) in the upcoming season.

The other Packers pass-rushing menace, Preston Smith, registered nine sacks and an 80.8 grade by PFF last season (after a mediocre 2020 campaign), and inked an impressive four-year contract worth $52 million dollars. The 29-year-old pass rusher and Gary are unequivocally one of the league’s top pass-rushing tandems.

The 2022 fifth-round pick Kingsley Enagbare could be an impact player in his first season, too. He has fine size (6’4, 260 Ibs) and strength, so he shouldn’t get bullied by OTs. He also has a knack for forcing turnovers (3 FFs in 2020). As expected, the Packers should even garner pass-rushing help from Kenny Clark — as he ousted four sacks and 13 QB hits in 2021. PFF also gave him a 74.9 grade for his efforts last season. He may not be a high sack machine, but he is a maniac that requires double-teams and he should help his teammates excel in one on one match-ups.

The Pack didn’t only bring back a key pass rusher in free agency, but they also signed the fearless IDL Jarran Reed to a one-year deal worth $7 million dollars. The 2016 second-round pick ousted 10.5 sacks in 2018 and 6.5 sacks. I believe he’s one of the biggest x-factors on the Packers and his versatility will be vital against the likes of the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Packers ranked 16th in sacks a season ago. I absolutely foresee them cracking a Top-10 finish in sacks next season with an improved Gary (who is really pushing for an AP spot), the new face in Reed, and the young gun: Enagbare. I expect the former Michigan Wolverine to lead his posse and unveil to be the next special Packers QB hunter.

The post Why the Packers pass rush will excel in 2022 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Green Bay Packers really need to add wide receiver talent, according to Captain Obvious. The Pack has lost Davante Adams and they failed to re-sign MVS. The 2021 and 2020 MVP Aaron Rodgers honestly deserves a couple of wide receivers that have Pro Bowl potential.

According to Matt LaFleur, the Packers are looking to add a “deep threat” wideout. I would fully expect them to add multiple quality WRs, but they are clearly desperate to find a WR that specializes in taking the top off a defense. With that said, I will offer a unique, exciting outlook on the particular category of speed WRs that the Packers could sign soon.

T.Y. Hilton

The Packers NEED to sign T.Y. Hilton or Will Fuller in my opinion. I would prefer to see the Packers sign Hilton to a short-term contract than break the bank for Fuller. Hilton can aspire to ride off into the sunset with the Packers future Hall of Fame signal-caller. If he doesn’t re-sign with the Colts, I’d be shocked if the Packers let him slip to another team.

Allen Hurns

Allen Hurns could really be a diamond in the rough for the Packers. In 2015, Hurns had a crazy performance: 1,031 yards, 16.1 YPC, and 10 receiving touchdowns. I believe Rodgers could honestly make Hurns an 800+ yard WR next season and he would be the second WR that Rodgers has brought back from the dead (of course, Randall Cobb is the other).

Trade for Brandin Cooks

If the Packers strike out on Hilton/Fuller and they don’t want to sign an underproductive wideout in recent memory, they need to get creative to find a blistering fast WR. The Texans may not want to ship out their best player in Brandin Cooks, but the Packers could potentially send HOU a second-round pick and a 2023 third-round pick for him. Cooks is coming off back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons with a dreadful Texans offense.

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By: Tim Rodriguez

For the better part of the last two decades, Aaron Rodgers has been the Green Bay Packers. That may all be coming to an end. Or not. Or he’s retiring. That’s where the problem lies. We truly have no idea what the back to back MVP is planning on doing with his future. Rodgers is rumored to be unhappy with the situation in Green Bay and is pondering leaving the franchise or retiring from football all together. 

Dominance 

Rodgers has been reignited since head coach Matt Lafleur was hired in 2019. The last two years of the McCarthy era were filled with injuries and good – but not up to the Rodgers standard level play. Matt Lafleur brought new ideas and a killer offensive staff with him to Green Bay. Since then, the Packers have had a first-round bye in all three seasons, reaching the NFC Championship game twice. Rodgers has also won two more MVP awards, bringing his career total to four. Unfortunately, Green Bay has yet to reach the Super Bowl. With this team, the Super Bowl is the only goal. 

Why?

The “why” can be connected to two questions. Why haven’t they reached the Super Bowl? Why does Rodgers potentially want out? The reasons are ultimately the same. The Packers have religiously drafted defensive players in the first round, yet had to go on a spending spree in the 2019 off-season just to get the defense to above average. That has left the receiving core outside of Davante Adams with not much to work with. Even with all those first round picks and money spent on defense, both NFC Championship game opponents scored more than 30 points on the Packers. In 2020, the Packers truly could have been one offensive playmaker away; and that is where the frustration really starts. 

April 23rd, 2020

Let’s turn the clocks back. We are one month into the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all just starting to get adjusted to life in a virtual world, including the NFL. Commissioner Roger Goodell is conducting the NFL draft from his basement. We’re having fun (kind of). The Miami Dolphins are on the clock with the 26th pick. Until they weren’t. The Green Bay Packers had sent a fourth round pick to Miami to move up four spots. That was presumably for a receiver, or a cornerback, or a linebacker who wasn’t Blake Martinez. Until it wasn’t. One of the great robberies of the pandemic was not getting a live crowd reaction to this pick. Jordan Love. They picked Jordan Love. 

A quarterback out of Utah State, Love was the fourth and final passer taken in the first round that night. Instantaneously, public outcry went from “What are they doing?” to “What is Aaron thinking right now”. Rodgers was not present on any television sets at the moment, but he was on a live draft coverage with the Pat McAfee show (Oh, this is not the last you will hear of this show) just hours earlier discussing the quarterbacks that were taken earlier. Anyone who knows anything about Rodgers knew that this probably irked him. And why wouldn’t it? The Packers had just played in the NFC Championship game three months ago and there was a treasure trove of wide receivers and talented defensive players on the board. However, both Rodgers and the team were relatively silent about the issue and by all accounts Rodgers and Love get along well. 

Love’s rookie season

The scenario could not have gone any better for Green Bay. The global pandemic limited media during training camp and completely eliminated the preseason. Rodgers stayed healthy, the Packers were rolling, and they capped it off with an MVP for their quarterback, a 13-3 record, and the number one overall seed in the NFC. Love did not have to touch the field. He was an afterthought, just the way the Packers intended. But then, that pesky need for one more playamaker reared its ugly head once again. The Packers fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home by a score of 31-26. The Packers offense was inept in the first half. The “Aaron to Davante” offense only took them so far. Aaron Jones, their other star, was rendered a nonfactor and left early due to injury. Another wide receiver certainly would have helped. More specifically, any of these receivers would have helped: Tee Higgins, Michael Pittman Jr, Chase Claypool, or Van Jefferson. What do all of these have in common? They’re all incredible football players. More importantly, they were all picked within the next 31 picks after Jordan Love. Once again, Rodgers did not mention that. To the off-season we go. Rodgers went on the Pat McAfee show one more time and then went on a long media hiatus. 

2021 NFL Draft

Everything was rather quiet on the Rodgers front. The Packers were still contending and Love was all set to sit for at least one more season. And then Adam Schefter dropped a nuke on the draft. Schefter, a long-time ESPN insider, reported that Rodgers was unhappy in Green Bay, was highly upset with the front office, and was prepared to force a trade to a new franchise. The Denver Broncos were a name that kept popping up (more on them later!), and former Broncos’ offensive lineman Mark Schlereth even reported that trade was a done deal (clearly, he was wrong). Rodgers, without trying, stole the show on draft night. However, he was prepared to facilitate a trade. San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reached out to his old buddy Matt Lafleur to inquire about Rodgers, which infuriated Lafleur since Green Bay is hell-bent on hanging on to him. At this point, there are daily reports of friction worse than sandpaper in titletown, but nothing is coming from the main man. Rodgers continued his media hiatus and even skipped voluntary workouts. There was much to do about nothing, but it was definitely extra gasoline added to the fire. Then training camp hits, Rodgers talks to the media and is extremely candid about his thoughts. Finally, the two sides came to a solution. Rodgers and the Packers agreed to revisit his contractual status after the season, and the team would bring back an old friend. A close friend of Rogers, Randall Cobb, was re-acquired from the Houston Texans, and things got quiet. 

A punter and a small regional show

The Pat McAfee show. It’s fun. There’s no narratives, no storylines, no drama. It’s just a wildly entertaining former NFL player talking ball with his friends and an array of guests that rival any other show in the world. They talk funny, they make fun of eachother and make some of the more absurd statements you will ever hear. It isn’t even on television. A three hour live YouTube show has taken over the NFL world. How? Well, they have something that no other show on Earth has. They have two close personal friends of Aaron Rodgers.

 A.J. Hawk, a former teammate of Rodgers, is on the show for an hour every day. His children allegedly call Rodgers “Uncle Aaron”. McAfee claims he met Rodgers at a celebrity golf tournament and their relationship has grown through Hawk. Well, they are really close now. Rodgers goes on the show every Tuesday during the season, and sometimes during the off-season. These interviews have changed the way everyone views the hard-to-read superstar. Many media members have said that McAfee has ruined interviewing Rodgers because there’s just no way to compete with what they do. Rodgers is honest, open, and incredibly human in his weekly interview.

 It all came to a head this season. Rodgers tested positive for COVID, and the club reported that he would have to abide by standards for non-vaccinated players. This sent shockwaves through the world as Rodgers claimed to be “immunized” during training camp. Rodgers meant that he had been immunized by using homeopathy, not the COVID vaccine. The NFL denied his request to be treated as a vaccinated player, and he kept his mouth shut. However, once the cat  was out of the bag, he never shut it again. Rodgers spent the rest of the season giving his opinion on all things related to the pandemic, vaccines, and our society as a whole. That is perfectly within his rights, but it certainly created some interesting headlines. However, something much more important came out of his COVID sage. Jordan Love had to start a football game! On the road! Against the Kansas City Chiefs with millions of people watching!

Is he the prince we were promised?

It wasn’t pretty. Not by any means. Love went 19/34 passing for 190 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. The defense held the vaunted Chiefs offense to just 13 points and lost the game. Everything is fine. He’s basically a rookie. It’s his first start since January of 2020. Everything is fine. Right?

Full steam ahead

The world was able to table the Jordan Love conversation because the Packers kept chugging along once Rodgers came back. The Packers won six of their final eight games, once again earning them the NFC’s number one overall seed and a first round bye. Time to wait. Once Dak Prescott and the Cowboys couldn’t get the ball spiked in time, a familiar foe was coming into Lambeau field. The San Francisco 49ers: The team that had had a fair amount of success versus the Packers in recent years, the team led by Matt Lafleur’s friend Kyle Shanahan, the team that just beat them in the NFC championship game two years ago, the hometown team who passed on Aaron Rodgers in 2005. But also, the team Rodgers tried to have himself traded to just this off-season. 

The offenses struggled, especially Aaron Rodgers. The Packers’ special teams was responsible for a ten point swing in favor of the visiting 49ers. Robbie Gould kicked a field goal and it was over. The 49ers were headed to the NFC championship. The Packers were headed to the most difficult off-season in franchise history. It’s about to hit the fan. 

Rumor season

The Rodgers rumors started almost immediately. Would he retire? Would he want an extension? Does he want to play somewhere else? If so, where? Retirements by Hall of Famers opened up spots in Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh. The Panthers have been rather aggressive in their pursuit of a new quarterback. The Raiders have always had a wandering eye when it came to Derek Carr. Then there was Denver. The team that he was reportedly already dealt to on draft night, the team that just hired his offensive coordinator as their head coach, the team in the home state of his then-fiancee. Denver just felt too obvious. However, Rodgers decided to take some time with his decision. 

NBA level approach 

Once he decided to take some time, Rodgers went on a Panchakarma cleanse (Google at your own risk). After completing his cleanse, Rodgers posted a cryptic instagram message thanking a barrage of people in his life, including teammates. Conventily enough, he posted it on a Monday night, meaning he would be on the Pat McAfee show in just a few hours. Hundreds of thousands of people tuned into the show under the impression that Rodgers was announcing something soon. That was not the case. On Thursday, Rodgers informed the Packers that something was in fact coming soon. It has already been rumored that multiple teams have called to put an offer on the table for the superstar quarterback. 

Time to move on?

Most people would assume that after two years on the bench, Jordan Love is ready to go. The team around him would be ready to compete immediately and can get even better with draft capital that they would recoup from a Rodgers trade. Trading the expensive quarterback would also give Green Bay the flexibility to bring back star receiver Davante Adams at whatever price he commands. One problem. Plugged in NFL insider Benjamin Allbright claims that the Packers do not believe in their young signal caller and they have not received many calls about him. That would explain their reluctance to make the switch. 

Resolution 

This story has so many layers and components that play into it, making it one of the more fascinating we have seen in recent years. The Packers have started getting the books ready for something big, with a contract restructure for star defensive lineman Kenny Clark, but that could just be added flexibility for their many in-house free agents. What is the most likely scenario in this? Rodgers and Adams return for one more season together, Green Bay guts the roster to make room for their hefty price tags, and the team likely wins 11 games and loses in the divisional round. In 2023, Rodgers would hit the free agent market and likely sign with a quarterback-needs contender. That would also open the door for Love to start after sitting for three seasons. That is what feels the most realistic, but stranger things have happened in this league.

The post Why Aaron Rodgers and not Jordan Love is the future of Green Bay appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Denver Broncos and any NFL spectator know the magic of Aaron Rodgers. The Packers free-spirited QB has won NFL MVP in back-to-back seasons (20, 21). A-Rod is clearly one of the most productive QBs of all time. Rodgers is even arguably the most talented signal-caller of all time.

In 2022, the 38-year-old QB that recently split with Shailene Woodley has another mysterious outlook this offseason. There’s no guarantee the Packers long-time QB will stay in Green Bay, but there is more promise that he will stay in Wisconsin in 2022 than in 2021. There have been reports and drama surrounding the idea of Rodgers landing in Mile High City (Denver). I don’t believe the Broncos trade reports are mumbo jumbo, but I do anticipate that he won’t be shipped off to Denver. Here is why Rodgers won’t follow the great Peyton Manning by moving to Colorado.

• Rodgers and Tae Adams are a combo package

It’s been reported by Packers Wire that the Packers are highly likely to franchise tag Davante Adams. I expect “Batman and Robin” to return to Lambeau for another season together. Adams is the biggest supporter of Rodgers, especially with Woodley gone. Wherever Tae goes, Rodgers will surely follow.

I don’t believe that the Broncos will acquire “Rodgers and Adams” because I don’t see any chance that Matt LaFleur will ship away Rodgers and Adams. He knows that he should clean out his locker if he makes a trade of that magnitude. If LaFleur made such a decision, he would make the villain Hans Landa from Inglorious Bastards look a genius.

• The return of Tom Clements

The Packers are striving to make Rodgers warm and fuzzy in GB. They’ve brought back Tom Clements, who was the Packers QB coach from 2006-2016. Clements is a flat-out legend and he’s worked with Bills and the Cardinals.

The Packers legend can bring music to Rodger’s ears and he will be happy to get to work with Rodgers this offseason. The combination of Adams and Clements should make Rodgers feel motivated to be a better player in Green Bay.

• Rodgers started the offseason with Green Bay on a good note

A-Rod has already sat down with Matt LaFleur after the playoff loss to highlight a positive plan to improve the team. Rodgers clearly has some chemistry with LaFleur early in the offseason. It would make sense if their conversation revolved around Adams staying in Green Bay, too.

All in all, the Packers have taken steps to sharpen their squad and they look to continue making a smart decision. The Packers also drafted a young QB (Jordan Love), so there’s a higher chance they bring in a young, stud WR for Rodgers in the 2022 NFL draft. Rodgers is on his last legs and the Packers are more desperate than ever to win a Super Bowl after failing to reach the big stage as the NFC one seed in the past two seasons. I expect Rodgers, Adams, and Matt LaFleur to come out guns blazing in 2022.

• Rodgers owns the NFC North

A-Rod made it well known to the Chicago Bears nation in 2021 that he “owns them”. Rodgers doesn’t just own the Bears, but he has dominance over the 3-13 Detroit Lions and the 8-9 Minnesota Vikings. A monster reason for Rodgers’s ability to lead the Packers to the one seed is the easy competition he is awarded in the NFC North. Since 2011, Rodgers has led the Pack to eight division titles.

If Rodgers went to the AFC West, he would play Patrick Mahomes, the playoff squad in Las Vegas, and Justin Herbert (who threw 5,000+ yards in 2021) twice a year. Rodgers would likely have to scrap his way through the AFC playoffs, but he could have another good opportunity to play playoff NFC foes in Lambeau if he resides in the NFC.

The post Why Aaron Rodgers will not be a Denver Bronco appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Green Bay Packers three-time MVP QB Aaron Rodgers has stated that he is unsure what his future holds after the 2022 playoff loss against the San Francisco 49ers. Rodgers mulled about his future in football the last offseason and it appears that “Burning man” Rodgers is on the same trail in the 2022 offseason. Rodgers recently went on to the Pac Macafee show (the show that Kay Adams was recently jealous of) and expressed “One thing I would not do, 100% not do, is retire and then come back a year later”. It’s clear that retiring is an option for Rodgers and if he closes the book on his career, he won’t have a Brett Favre type of comeback.

A-rod could clearly hang up the cleats after being drafted by the Pack in 2005. The Packers QB doesn’t seem like he wants to test the waters with a different team, especially because it doesn’t seem like he will be able to enter a situation similar to what Tom Brady entered in Tampa Bay. Rodgers has enjoyed the first ballot of Hall of Fame career with the Packers and he concluded that he’s on great terms with the Packers.

Here are the impressive highlights of Rodgers’s success in Green Bay below:

* according to Pro Football Reference

• All Pro in 2011 (14-1 record, 45 passing touchdowns to 9 interceptions)
• All Pro in 2014 (12-4 record, 38 passing touchdowns to 5 interceptions)
• All Pro in 2020 (13-3 record, 48 passing touchdowns to 5 interceptions)
• All Pro in 2021 (13-3 record, 37 passing touchdowns to 7 interceptions)
• Won Super Bowl XLV against the Pittsburgh Steelers
• MVP of Super Bowl XLV
• 10 Pro Bowl selections
• 10th in passing yards of all time
• fifth in passing touchdowns all time
• number one in passer rating of all time

So, if Rodgers decides to end a legendary, magic, eccentric, career with the Packers, it’s clear that it will be the end of the road for Rodgers. Meanwhile, a massive question arrives for the Packers in Titletown if Rodgers retires: who will replace Rodgers? Well, I’m going to outline several strong candidates that could potentially replace Rodgers.

1. Marcus Mariota – Las Vegas Raiders

The Packers drafted Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 draft and Love has truly shown positive growth. Love showed some potential in preseason games, but he did struggle in a losing effort against the Kansas City Chiefs when called on in 2021. Love threw 3 interceptions to 2 touchdowns while having a 58.1%. Coach Matt LaFleur rightfully stated, “he hasn’t gotten the experience needed. Love has a lot of room for growth”. It appears that Love isn’t quite the heir to Rodgers — despite how textbook it may seem.

I would expect the Packers to obtain a quality free-agent pickup at QB at the moment, while they still have the “project” QB Jordan Love. I don’t foresee LaFleur trading the house for a signal-caller like Matt Corral or Kenny Pickett in the first round. I also don’t expect the Packers to be key contenders in the Russell Wilson sweepstakes. The Saints had a positive outcome from adding free agent Jameis Winston and I could see LaFleur garnering similar success with the addition of Marcus Mariota.

The 28-year-old QB had three straight winning seasons with the Tennessee Titans and assist from Matt LaFleur from 2016, 2017, and 2018. Mariota also flashed a unique skillset with his 4.4 speed combined with stout arm talent. Still, Mariota struggled with his passing inconsistencies, injury issues, and he finally wasn’t doing enough to help the Titans win key games. He wasn’t completely wretched over a long time frame, as he lost his short leash to a talented QB2 in Ryan Tannehill. It’s safe to say that Tanny was the more impressive starter as he led the team to the AFC one seed in 2021.

Mariota went to churn out his passing skillset and pocket awareness as a backup with the Las Vegas Raiders. Mariota is ready to come back stronger and sharper with the Packers. The Packers likely wouldn’t need Mariota to be a Top 12 QB to win the division, as well. The former Oregon Duck Mariota could be a modest, successful dual-threat QB with Davante Adams and Aaron Jones, and he can be the QB to win 10+ games next season and potentially more seasons.

2. Jameis Winston – New Orleans Saints

Jameis Winston should be atop the FA wishlist for Matt LaFleur, but I expect Winston to remain with the Saints organization first and foremost. I’d also believe the Saints would struggle to reel in Russell Wilson without Payton or an offensive guru like Eric Bieniemy. If Winston still doesn’t remain with the New Orleans, then I’d expect LaFleur to be the most aggressive coach to acquire him.

The 2021 Saints starting QB held a 6-2 record while throwing 14 passing touchdowns to 3 interceptions. Winston had big victories against the Packers and Seahawks, while not having an elite WR at his disposal. Winston would be a sure-fire upgrade over almost every QB option, but he would be more expensive. Still, Winston could be a QB that can make the Packers an NFC competitor, especially with the Packers current roster. He has elite arm strength, as he’s led the league in passing touchdowns and passing yards in the regular season in Tampa Bay. The Packers could even add another talented WR to help Winston to reassure the Packers can be Super Bowl contenders in 2022 and years ahead. The Saints QB could even take on a less expensive contract than expected after suffering a season-ending injury in 2021.

If Winston takes the keys to the offense and posts superb success in year one, the NFC North team could look to trade Jordan Love in the near future, as well. The truth is that Winston has a plethora of potential, as he recently turned 28 years old. Winston is truly on the up climb at this point in his career, as he’s more seasoned and motivated.

3. Andy Dalton – Chicago Bears

Andy Dalton was once nicknamed the “Red Rifle” with the Cincinnati Bengals and for good reason. Dalton posted five straight winning seasons with Cincy from 2011 to 2015. Dalton clearly benefited from the elite AJ Green and lost his spark when Green didn’t take over games. Still, the old Chicago QB has a talented arm, lots of experience, and he can be a modest game manager when needed. This is in fact the same QB that the genius Kyle Shanahan wanted in 2021.

Dalton has fallen off a bit of a cliff in recent times. The 34-year-old threw more interceptions (9) than touchdowns (8). Dalton struggled the year prior, too. It was clear that the drop-off in performance from Prescott to himself was significant when Dalton had to fill in the shoes of Prescott in 2020. Dak is an MVP caliber QB to be fair, so it’s not a huge surprise that the current Cowboys QB towers over him. As for a slight excuse with his struggles in Chi-town, Nagy was of course pardoned of his head coaching duties after the 2021-2022 season.

Dalton can have an elite WR1 with Adams in Green Bay. He will have a defense with plenty of firepower that can complement his offense. Dalton could be an Alex Smith-like manager for GB for a year or two, but he doesn’t have the same ceiling as Winston or even Mariota. The Packers will really need Love to be the guy in 2023, or they will have to have the perfect plan for their future QB if they ride with Dalton in 2022.

4. Teddy Bridgewater – Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater has slowly earned more starting QB opportunities after suffering a freak injury with the Minnesota Vikings. Teddy “two gloves” went 5-0 filling in for Drew Brees in 2019 and then Bridgewater recently unveiled a 7-7 record with the Denver Broncos in 2021. He showed modest production before suffering an injury, which was evident with his 18 passing touchdowns (career-high).

Bridgewater does have serious injury issues (only played one full season), so that’s a vital reason why he shouldn’t be a popular candidate to replace Rodgers. The Packers may not want to have an injury-prone QB amid a team that can compete for playoff seeding right now. If the Packers obtain Bridgewater in free agency, they may wish to add another veteran QB for safety measures.

5. Trade for Philadelphia Eagles Gardner Minshew

Gardner Minshew might have the most potential out of any backup QB in the league. “Minshew Mania” was a fantastic rookie for the Jacksonville Jaguars with 21 passing touchdowns to six interceptions. The 25-year-old player was breaking Jaguars records left and right. Unfortunately, Minshew was a victim of a team picking a QB first overall in a draft (2021 draft). It’s no surprise that he wasn’t going to be a good long-term fit in Florida.

The former Jags QB could be shipped out yet again after Nick Sirianni told the QB that there wasn’t any chance he would take the starting job away from Jalen Hurts. It does appear that Hurts will at least be in full command of the ship in 2022 as the team is riding off a surprising playoff berth. LaFleur would have to cough up less magic with trading for Minshew compared to an offer pushing for a QB like Russell Wilson or Baker Mayfield.

6. Tyrod Taylor – Houston Texans

The Texans dual-threat QB Tyrod Taylor was once slated to be the starting QB over Justin Herbert until a medical procedure went haywire and unleashed an unexpected injury to him. Taylor, who is 32 years old, could be an interesting starting option for the Packers. He once showed out two winning seasons in his three seasons as the Bills starting QB. He also made a Pro Bowl in a season as a Bill.

He’s not an excellent pocket passer and he does have injury concerns in his career, but he would be a sharp value pickup. The Packers could sign a veteran like Andy Dalton and Tyrod Taylor to compete for the job.

7. Trade for San Francisco 49ers Jimmy Garopollo

I wouldn’t love a trade from Green Bay for Jimmy G. The Packers would have to trade the bank for Jimmy G and I don’t love the situation for Garopollo to succeed. Jimmy has the quality arm talent and he can make accurate throws in big moments, but his consistency is worrisome. Furthermore, he won’t have a friendly Kyle Shanahan to overcome his lack of consistency and Jimmy G also has serious injury habits, too. He’s only played one full season in the league while missing 23 games in a 49ers uniform.

The 49ers veteran QB has had impressive moments, which could garner overhyped praise. The 49ers QB led a game tieing score against the Los Angeles Rams late in the 4th quarter in Week 17. It should still be noted that Jimmy G made a brutal interception in the same game. He was also a non-factor in the pivotal game against the Tennessee Titans earlier in the season. If the 49ers go on to win the Super Bowl, he may grab the attention of a desperate team that buys into the fairy dust circulating around him.

Honorable mentions

Trade for Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa

I believe a trade for Tua Tagovailoa would even be more overrated than a trade for the 49ers highly touted veteran QB. Tua has more potential, but he requires a lot of tweaking as a pocket passer. He has a quality ceiling as a dual-threat QB, but he is still a project as a pocket passer. He does also have injury issues and inconsistencies with his passing skills. Nonetheless, Tua could put up big plays deep down the field with Adams and he can make plays with his leg. He still isn’t ready to be a QB that can consistently unveil game-winning drives and consistently put up big passing numbers. It’s really a high-risk trade, as the Dolphins would require a lot of compensation for the former Alabama QB. If the Packers were somehow able to lower the quota in such a trade for Tua with Love included, then it could be tempting for LaFleur – regardless if he signs Mariota.

Ryan Fitzpatrick – Washington Football Team

The addition of Ryan Fitzpatrick would be beneficial in multiple ways. “Fitzmagic” could be the right mentor for Jordan Love and Fitzmagic could also be a game manager on the field for GB. It wasn’t too long ago that Fitzmagic was making spectacular throws with his helmet being ripped off his face. We’ve seen Love struggle in short-term situations, but we could Fitzpatrick take care of the football and make a few big plays in a game (hopefully against below-average competition).

He knew how to utilize Mike Evans in Tampa and he could surely make splash plays with Adams. The downfall of Fitzmagic is that he’s 39 years old and he’s coming off a season-ending injury. Fitzmagic might be a solid addition if the Packers elect to grab basically any QB, as he should command a veteran minimum contract or a one-year prove-it deal.

Mitchell Trubisky – Buffalo Bills

It would be poetic if the Green Bay Packers lured former Chicago Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky to the depths of Lambeau. The former Bears QB has churned out his skillset and experience behind the AFC mega-arm QB Josh Allen. Trubisky is 27 and he can be a quality backup in this stage in his career. He has a career-winning record (29-21) and he’s been in playoff battles.

Although, his ceiling doesn’t appear to be mouth-watering at this stage in his career. There may be a unique factor that Trubisky has some fire in him to join the Packers and bash on the Bears. Trubisky has a lot of potential compared to other free-agent options, but I could only see LaFleur getting him if he’s unexpectedly available later in the process and the Packers HC sees potential in him as a project QB.

Jordan Love – Green Bay Packers

There’s a double-digit percentage chance that Jordan Love is the Week 1 starting QB. If the Packers add a veteran QB in free agency, it’s possible Love wins the starting competition or the other QB gets injured. Nearly every QB on this list has suffered from an injury and missed games, so it’s very possible that Love starts via injury from the other QB.

Love has a strong familiarity with Packers and Matt LaFleur all in all. Love will need Adams and potentially more talent around him to succeed, nonetheless. If Love is the Day 1 starter, Lafleur will have to take notes from Sean Payton’s notebook with Winston. The Saints head coach had to completely revamp the offensive design when Brees left. LaFleur would really have to ramp up the run game and improve the pass protection with Love at the QB position.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Los Angeles Rams illustrious head coach Sean McVay has been dubbed the next genius head coach since entering the head coaching ranks for the LA Rams in 2017. The 35-year-old coach that one-upped Kliff Kingsbury during the 2021 NFL draft has gone 55-25 in his short career. 

The NFL world knows McVay is a mad scientist that just came out of graduate school (half-serious). But, do we know of the work and byproducts that are being represented under the Rams ring leader? I believe not. In this outlook, I’m going to outline the head coaches who have learned under McVay and even rank which McVay disciples have been the most impressive. Let’s begin.

1. Matt LaFleur

The Green Bay Packers offensive guru with a more robust haircut isn’t just the best McVay apprentice, but one of the best head coaches in the entire league. Matt LaFleur may have issues with finding WR help for A-Rod and making risky decisions in pivotal postseason games, but he has been a pillar of consistency and dominance. LaFleur has a whopping 39-9 record, 41 overall victories, and he’s helped his aging QB win the MVP award in 2020.

McVay has led the Packers to the number one seed in back-to-back seasons. Nonetheless, the Pack needs to take advantage of the road going through the Frozen tundra — as the Packers HC knows well. In the postseason in 2021, LaFleur controversially opted to kick a field goal and not attempt to score a touchdown on 4th and goal with Aaron Rodgers. Will LaFleur roll the dice more in 2022? We will see.

McVay has had similar success to LaFleur with the likes of Jared Goff and he even has transformed Todd Gurley into an OPOY player. Is Cooper Kupp McVay’s next toy to bring a piece of hardware home? Kupp and Davante Adams are seen as the clear Top two wideouts in the league.

Here is an overview of how productive each WR was in 2021:

• Kupp: 145 receptions, 1,947 yards, and 16 touchdowns
• Adams: 123 receptions, 1,553 yards, and 11 touchdowns

2. Zac Taylor

The Cincinnati Bengals HC and Bengals QB Joe Burrow just won the biggest game of their young careers in Week 17. In poetic fashion, Burrow smoked a locker room cigar after beating the Kansas City Chiefs and winning the AFC North.

Taylor brought his AFC North team from the bottom of the NFL to an AFC juggernaut in just a couple of seasons. Let’s not forget Ja’Marr Chase, who just ousted the most productive season from a rook WR. It’s safe to say he was the right pick over Penei Sewell.

The Bengals go on to win a monster contest against the Las Vegas Raiders in the wildcard round. Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase were exceptional yet again. More importantly, the Bengals defense was able to prevent the Raiders from scoring a game-tying touchdown on 4th and goal with 17 seconds left in the game.

If the Chiefs handle their business against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals will take a trip to Nashville to battle Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans.

3. Brandon Staley 

As you can see, the top 3 Sean McVay understudies are clearly more respectable than the likes of the Top 3 Belichick understudies (in the NFL). Brandon Staley has had a very positive 2021 season with the second-year QB Justin Herbert. The second year QB unleashed 5,014 passing yards and 38 passing touchdowns.

The Chargers were written off by countless outlets, but Brandon Staley and the company have been firing off on every cylinder. Staley is the third HC on this list and the third to have a winning record this season (9-8). The Chargers had a disappointing Week 18 as widely enunciated, but the Chargers outperformed their expectations last season. All three Sean McVay disciples have displayed fireworks for their respected offenses in the 2021-2022 season.

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