Getty Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers looks on from the sidelines in the first half against the San Francisco 49ers during the NFC Championship game at Levi's Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California.
Aaron Rodgers isn’t naive to the fact that the day will come where he is no longer the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback, but he isn’t worried about it happening anytime soon.
Rodgers made an appearance on ESPN Milwaukee radio show “Wilde & Tausch” on Friday morning and was asked how he would feel if the Packers selected a quarterback on the first two days of the 2020 NFL Draft, a possibility that has created some buzz this offseason with Rodgers now one year older than Brett Favre was when Rodgers was drafted as his successor in 2005.
“Well, look, I’m a realist,” Rodgers said. “I know where we’re at as an organization and where I’m at in my career. I still feel like I have a ton of years left playing at a high level. I’ve always felt like it doesn’t matter who you bring in, they’re not going to be able to beat me out anytime soon. I feel really confident about my abilities and my place.”
“If they were to pick a quarterback on the first two days, how would you feel?”
@jasonjwilde asked #Packers QB Aaron Rodgers about this year’s draft when he joined us on @ESPNMadison & @ESPNMilwaukee.
The QB’s response?⬇️
FULL Interview on #WiOnDemand: t.co/hLSnyyzRXo
Rodgers, who will turn 37 next season, is under contract through the 2023 season and proved during the 2019 season can still perform at a high level, helping the Packers to a 13-3 regular-season record and a home playoff victory in the NFC divisional round. Still, some critics have questioned whether he still qualifies as an elite quarterback while arguing his age is starting to show when he is on the field.
“I think he’s still one of the most talented players out there,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said in his season-wrapping press conference in January. “I know he seemed energized all season long. His mind is as sharp as they come. It’s just his body holding up, and I think he does an excellent job.”
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Packers Won’t Rule Out Drafting QB
General manager Brian Gutekunst would not rule out the possibility of the Packers drafting a quarterback — maybe with the No. 30 overall pick — when asked last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, following in the footsteps of Ted Thompson and evaluating all of the top quarterbacks in the class.
While the Packers drafting another quarterback wouldn’t bother him, Rodgers did say he would much rather see his team use their early-round picks on talent that can “play and compete right away.” He also said he has seen multiple mock drafts indicate the Packers could take a wide receiver in the first round for the first time in his career, which he finds appealing for obvious reasons.
“But I trust Brian and his staff. He’s done a heckuva job,” Rodgers said. “I know we have a little less room than we had last year cap-wise, but I’m sure that Brian is going to put together the best squad that he can.”
LaFleur Likes Quarterbacks — But Also Rodgers
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur subscribes to a similar quarterback philosophy as his general manager and has made it perfectly clear how he feels about going after promising talent at the position.
“I’ve always said it, it’s the toughest position to play in all of sports, so I don’t think you can ever have enough of those guys,” LaFleur said last week at the Combine. “If you find a guy and he’s sitting there in the right spot, I think you have to take a chance on it.”
But LaFleur is also firmly invested in his current veteran quarterback and considers Rodgers “still one of the most talented players out there,” defending him at every opportunity when pressed about his performance during the 2019 season. He also sees bright things in their future together for Year 2.
“He does a lot of great things that aren’t always how you draw it up as a coach,” LaFleur said. “I just think that the foundation has been laid. The expectations are there. Certainly, we have a better feel for what he’s comfortable with, and we’re always going to adapt to our players.”
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Aaron Rodgers Sounds off on Packers Possibly Drafting QB