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Watching Aaron Rodgers throwing the ball last week at the OTA practice open to the media, it’s pretty obvious he can still “spin it” as they say.
He’s still got great arm talent, and can threaten all parts of the field.
After the open OTA practice last week, he was asked how he felt at practice.
“Yeah, I feel really good,” Rodgers said. “It’s just about the mental part. Just I think these practices have been nice, last couple days to feel what it is like to be out there to be moving around and not be thinking about it and see how I respond the next day. So, it’s just this last part, the strength is good, the movement’s good, just the confidence to do everything.”
And that begs the question – will he be able to “do everything” like did in the past, a past that included collecting four NFL MVP Awards?
He’s still got elite arm talent, we have seen that in the spring. He’s still got a beautiful football mind to process what he’s seeing from opposing defenses.
The only question is probably about mobility.
When he attempted a comeback in December from a torn Achilles in Week, which was put on ice after the Jets faded from playoff contention, his mobility was limited.
“Back then I couldn’t, couldn’t run, I couldn’t run fast,” Rodgers said. “I could move a little bit, but now I can feel like I can do anything. I can run at a top speed.”
But what is “top speed” at 40?
Now, I’m not talking about scrambling around like Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen.
He was never a guy that scrambled a lot.
The question is about moving around in the pocket, and on bootlegs, something that was one of his strengths over the years.
He was so good with his feet, not necessarily scrambling, but getting out of harm’s way and extending plays, keeping his eyes downfield, allowing his receivers to spring open if the initial play didn’t work, or a pass rusher got in quickly blowing up the play.
Late in Green Bay, there was talk that Rodgers’ ability, to let’s say roll right, extend the play, or on a designed bootleg, wasn’t exactly the same as in the past.
He was still a very good player, but you could see on plays that involved moving around, he had lost a tad bit of mobility.
Hey, what would you expect after 19 years in the league and 16 years as a starter?
And this doesn’t mean he can’t still be a high-level QB even if he lost a modicum of mobility.
But I’m just anxious to see in real game action, what he’s like extending plays within the pocket area and on bootlegs, at 40 coming off a serious Achilles injury.
Once again, not talking about scrambling like Justin Fields, but more short-area mobility.
Granted, we expect much of his work to come from the pocket, with quick throws, that don’t involve much movement, but when movement is required, what will that look like from him at this stage of his career?
Stay tuned.
May 28, 2024
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