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Archive for the ‘Aaron Rodgers’ Category

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has landed in the eyes of many league observers as one of the best quarterbacks in the game.  And that's where he wants to be.  He'd be even higher if he would get rid of the...

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Filed under: Chicago Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings, NFC North

It's July, the slowest month of the year for the NFL. So what better time to start breaking down the upcoming season? From July 6-27, FanHouse will take an in-depth look at each division to help prepare you for training camp. We're calling it our Summer Scramble.

Coming July 16: AFC South Players to Watch

Burning Questions

Will Julius Peppers live up to his six-year, $84 million contract?

Peppers terrorized Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie late last season, forcing the Pro Bowler to the bench, while Peppers kept putting his mitts on Brett Favre. The Bears see Favre -- assuming he plays, which virtually everyone thinks he will -- and the Vikings twice. Can Peppers continue to create nightmares for the Vikings line? Will he be hurt by the Bears' decision to cut veteran Alex Brown, allowing him to sign with the defending champion Saints as a free agent? Peppers has been a pretty consistent force over his career, with the notable exception of 2007. The Bears shouldn't be excessively worried about injury or ineffectiveness, but the reality is there is a ton of pressure on Peppers and Brian Urlacher to resurrect this one-proud defense. If one or both falter, it doesn't matter what the offense does. It'll be another long year.

 

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Filed under: Packers, NFL Analysis, NFL Labor Negotiations

As the NFL's only publicly owned team, the Green Bay Packers are the one franchise that has to open its books to the public. And at a time of labor strife, with the NFL players' union calling for the league -- and the league refusing -- to provide audited financial statements for all 32 teams, this particular book-opening gets plenty of attention.

The Packers say player salaries are rising at twice the rate that revenue is rising. Astute observers ask how that's possible, since the NFL's salary cap is computed as a fixed percentage of league revenues. The reaction to Wednesday's news illustrates the width of the chasm between the NFL's perception of the problems at the heart of the current CBA dispute and the NFLPA's perception.

What you didn't see Wednesday was either side -- the NFL or the NFLPA -- rushing to ascribe broader meaning to the Packer numbers. And you won't. The union won't publicly assume that the Packers' finances reflect those of the other 31 teams, because to do so would undermine its argument that it needs those teams' audited financial statements in order to negotiate. And the league won't claim that the Packers' finances reflect those of the other 31 teams, because to do so would be to invite the union to say "Prove it."

 

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Filed under: Chicago Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings, NFC North

It's July, the slowest month of the year for the NFL. So what better time to start breaking down the upcoming season? From July 6-27, FanHouse will take an in-depth look at each division to help prepare you for training camp. We're calling it our Summer Scramble.

Coming July 15: NFC North Burning Questions, Bold Predictions

Chicago Bears -- Brian Urlacher

It's tempting to just write "Jay Cutler" here and let the lines go about interceptions, maturity, "the lack of receivers" and Mike Martz. However, we know Cutler's talented, we know what he's capable of when he's playing well (see: Week 16 vs. Minnesota), and we know what he's capable of when he's a tick off (see: Week 1 at Green Bay). What isn't known is how much of the Bears' 2009 defensive decline was due to Urlacher's Week 1 wrist injury that cost him the rest of the season. We also don't know how good he'll be as he tries to finish off another comeback from a devastating injury. At age 32, it's not going to be as easy as it sounds.

If Urlacher is actually the straw that stirs the drink for the Chicago defense, the Bears may face some serious struggles again. Lately, Urlacher has indeed been that straw. They're better statistically when he plays, and they're 7-15 without Urlacher since Lovie Smith took over as head coach. Like it or not, the Bears appear to go as Urlacher goes. That's why there is so much uncertainty in Chicago as the season approaches.

 

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Of Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers' 350 pass completions in 2009, 230 went to WR Donald Driver (70), WR Greg Jennings (68), TE Jermichael Finley (55) and TE Donald Lee (37), according to Lori Nickel, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

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Coach Mike McCarthy praised Aaron Rodgers for his "commitment to the offseason program" and says the Packers will "challenge (Rodgers) with more things at the line" this season. [...]

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FanHouse's crack squad of savvy fantasy football personnel put our six heads together and amassed consensus rankings for non-keeper, standard scoring leagues. We'll update as the season gets closer, but this is our "incredibly early yet still fun" version.

While none of us really agree on who should be the number one fantasy quarterback headed into 2010, we're all pretty sure that Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are the cream of the crop. Rodgers has three first place votes, Brees two and Manning just one, but there wasn't a lot of room between Rodgers and Brees.

Matt Schaub, Tom Brady, Tony Romo and Phillip Rivers make up the second tier, and Schaub actually got one third place vote. I can envision some movement in these rankings between now and August, that's for sure. But for right now, sit back and enjoy writing out your first fantasy draft boards -- just make sure to write in pencil. 

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Filed under: Lions, Giants, Packers, Raiders, Ravens, NFL Training Camp, NFL Notebook

Here's what's happening around the National Football League on Friday, June 11, 2010:

o. Even if the the upcoming season ends with the Ravens hoisting the Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champions, coach John Harbaugh won't be satisfied.

"The idea is to build a dynasty," Harbaugh told BaltimoreRavens.com "That's what we're trying to do.

"And to do that you've got to win multiple championships. We've said that. And to win multiple championships, first you've got to win one. They won one in 2000, and we need to win our next one, and this year is as good as any to get that done."

The Ravens are 18-1 to win the 2011 Super Bowl, according to Bodog.com.

o. One of the best games in the college career of current Giants receiver Steve Smith came in USC's 55-19 Orange Bowl victory in 2005, a win that gave the Trojans the national title. But that game will be wiped from the record books as part of the punishment handed to USC by the NCAA Thursday.

 

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Filed under: Chargers, Ravens, NFL Training Camp, NFL Notebook

The signing of free-agent offensive tackle Tra Thomas made big news in San Diego this week, but hardly for the same reasons a Thomas signing might have made in, say, 2002 or '03.

You know, back when the guy could play.

By signing Thomas, a 12th-year pro who was a backup in Jacksonville last season, the Chargers -- specifically general manager A.J. Smith -- drew a line and dared restricted free agent Marcus McNeill to cross it.

McNeill, one of the best young tackles in the game, and wide receiver Vincent Jackson, also a blossoming star, have been no-shows at the Chargers' offseason workouts and mandatory minicamp. Both have refused to sign their RFA tenders and have vowed to stage lengthy holdouts into the 2010 regular season, if need be. The no-nonsense Smith (pictured right) informed the two in a letter he intends to follow the NFL's allotted guidelines and reduce the offers to McNeill and Jackson to standardized 10-percent raises; drastically, in fact -- from over $3 million each to around $600,000.

 

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Pete Carroll led the chorus of NFL coaches and players who lashed out at the sanctions imposed on the USC program Thursday.

You're missing out if you don't check in on the Twitter banter between a number of tech-savvy Green Bay Packers -- including quarterback Aaron Rodgers...

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says he regrets airing his complaints about ESPN's "Monday Night Football" broadcast team in a recent radio interview.

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Four months after last season ended, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers revealed how it was anything but a pain-free second campaign as the team’s starter. Rodgers has been participating in the Packers’ offseason workout program and accompanying quarterback school since mid-March. He is expected to be on the field for the organized team activities, which begin May 17 and will be held for 13 days until June 17. “I didn’t make a big deal about it, but I had some pretty substantial foot injuries throughout the season,” Rodgers told WTMJ radio on May 12, The Sports Xchange reports. “I sprained both feet at different times during the year. So, those took a good month to heal. And, my left (non-throwing) shoulder was giving me a little bit of an issue as well. But, I’m feeling great now.” [...]

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By all indications, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has done a great job of replacing the legend who has become locally loathed.  In his second season as a starter, Rodgers led the team to the playoffs behind the "Baby Swiss" offensive...

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Kent Somers of azcentral.com reports that Matt Leinart looked much better over the past couple of days compared to last week's minicamp. He also mentioned that quarterbacks coach Chris Miller is working with the fifth-year pro on his mechanics.

Our View: The quarterback job is Leinart's to lose, with Derek Anderson and rookie John Skelton looking to fill out the depth chart. The Cardinals are hoping that Leinart will enjoy similar success to that of Aaron Rodgers who spent years on the sideline before emerging as an elite passer. We're skeptical, but Leinart should probably be considered a late round sleeper.

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The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Browns coach Eric Mangini and GM Mike Holmgren both expect Colt McCoy to not play as a rookie. However, Mangini says that he has learned to "never say never."

Our View: McCoy clearly has no fantasy value and will be the third quarterback behind Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. This doesn't mean that McCoy will never get a chance in Cleveland, but it certainly appears the team will take the patient approach, similar to how the Packers developed Aaron Rodgers.

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Here’s Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers sporting a nifty hat* at the Kentucky Derby. He’s going for the detective look today. I’m not sure who was interviewing him, but he asked him about the “2-minute drill.” Just two short hours left until the horses run around that track! Feel the excitement. If you had told me

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Aaron Rodgers was sacked more than any other quarterback in the league last year so it was only natural at Green Bay's pre-draft press conference that general manager Ted Thompson would be peppered with questions about drafting, you know, some linemen.

“I think I feel better (about the line) than you guys do,” Thompson joked with reporters.

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The Bills are reportedly open to Brian Brohm starting at quarterback in 2010, according to Chris Mortensen's (ESPN) twitter page.

Our View: Brohm was a good prospect as a second-round pick for Green Bay, but did not have a chance to play with Aaron Rodgers around. He is worth keeping tabs on in keeper leagues.

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The agent for longtime Green Bay Packers right tackle Mark Tauscher says the veteran has agreed to terms on a multiyear contract that will bring him back to the team.