The Green Bay Packers have undergone a bevy of changes this offseason, but one thing remains constant. Aaron Rodgers will be lining up under center and will have pressure to perform at a high-level as he usually does.
Although, this offseason, fans and the media alike have begun to speak about the demise of Rodgers as a top quarterback of the NFL. Even EA Sports handed Rodgers an overall rating of a 90 overall, which was seventh-best among quarterbacks.
So where does Rodgers rank among all active quarterbacks now? Despite having a so-called “down” season in 2018, Rodgers is still a cerebral passer that can pick apart defenses with ease.
In all honesty, Rodgers should still be considered a top three or four quarterback in the NFL with Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees. After all, Rodgers has proven he can win in big-time moments in his career. Although, he's being criticized for missing the playoffs in the last two seasons.
Last season in his “down” season, Rodgers threw for 4,442 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. Yeah, the accuracy wasn't there but the All-Pro quarterback was playing on a hobbled leg.
In Week 1, Rodgers suffered a tibial plateau fracture and a sprained MCL in the Packers comeback win over the Chicago Bears. Despite the injury, Rodgers played in all 16 games, but you could tell he wasn't nearly 100 percent healthy.
Rodgers has unbelievable arm talent but his best ability is extending plays and making throws downfield. The Pro-Bowl quarterback couldn't execute his usual movement around the pocket but was still effective when he threw it downfield.
In 2018, Rodgers threw downfield (20 or more yards) on 15.2% of his passes. Among all of those attempts, Rodgers was the only quarterback in the NFL who failed to throw an interception in all of his deep throws.
This offseason, Green Bay moved on from Mike McCarthy after he spent 13 seasons as the head coach. McCarthy helped the Packers win a Super Bowl in 2010 but the relationship between McCarthy and Rodgers was deteriorating—and fast.
Nonetheless, the Packers hired Matt LaFleur to provide a much-needed spark on the offensive side of the ball. Most people believed that McCarthy's offensive schemes were becoming outdated in today's NFL.
Now, with LaFleur, Green Bay is expected to have a new-look offense that is predicated on big plays. This will allow Rodgers to return to making unbelievable throws week in and week out.
Among the problems for the Packers in 2018, they were unable to protect Rodgers all season. Last season, the Packers allowed 53 sacks on Rodgers—third-most in the NFL.
Undoubtedly, Rodgers play on the field declined slightly in 2018. But don't act like he isn't one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL still.
People are prisoners of the moment and they see that Rodgers hasn't made the playoffs since 2016. Therefore, fans and the media believe that Rodgers is to blame for their struggles. Quarterbacks are seen as the leader of the team and are blamed for the losses and are praised for wins.
When listing the league's best quarterbacks in the NFL, Rodgers name should still be mentioned early in the conversation. Where exactly should Rodgers be ranked among quarterbacks in the NFL?
The veteran quarterback should be ranked as the fourth-best quarterback behind Mahomes, Brady, and Brees right now. Don't be surprised when Rodgers comes back with a vengeance in 2019 and lights up the NFL in his new offense.
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