Would a wide receiver have made a difference?
That’s going to be the first question asked if the Green Bay Packers — who could not pull off a trade deadline deal to give veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers another offensive weapon — fall short in the NFC playoffs in 2020.
NFL TRADE DEADLINE: Full list of deals completed
Packers fans have every right to be frustrated after the tease that unfurled Tuesday. Green Bay showed interest in Houston receiver Will Fuller, who would have given the Packers a more reliable deep-threat complement opposite Davante Adams for the second half of the 2020 season.
Green Bay, however, would not make a deadline deal.
I’m told the Green Bay Packers have discussed trading for Texans' receiver Will Fuller. However, there's been a disagreement in Green Bay at the highest levels of the organization over whether or not adding an elite receiver in the short term would be worth the spend.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) November 3, 2020
That’s maddening if you’re Rodgers, who is playing at a borderline MVP level with 1,948 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and two interceptions through Green Bay’s 5-2 start. Yes, the Packers are still good enough to win the NFC North again, but the same big-picture questions resurfaced after a 28-22 loss to the Vikings.
Green Bay’s defense still allows 26.7 points per game, which ranks 20th in the league and is one spot ahead of the Bengals at 26.8. The Packers have just four takeaways in seven games, and the fact that the team has a +1 turnover ratio is a product of being spoiled by Rodgers on the other side. The Packers’ failure to address the defense at the trade deadline should also be noted.
The offense travels to San Francisco with more injury/COVID-19 questions than ever. Star running back Aaron Jones (calf) could miss a third game, and Jamaal Williams and A.J. Dillon are on the COVID-19 list. This week’s running backs, Dexter Williams and Tyler Ervin, have combined for four carries.
Adams is arguably the best receiver in the league, but the Packers have not been able to backfill the void left by Allen Lazard, who still is out because of a core injury.
Jones, Adams and Lazard have been on the field together for one-and-half-games this season — the early-season blowouts against the Vikings and Lions. Did that go into general manager Brian Gutekunst’s thinking not to trade for Fuller?
It’s easy to second-guess that logic for several reasons. Fuller had 31 catches for 490 yards and five TDs this season — production that tops the combined numbers of the receiver Scrabble of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Darrius Shepherd, Malik Taylor and Equanimeous St. Brown. The move made sense given second-year coach Matt LaFleur’s familiarity with Fuller from his time at Notre Dame.
That was the second chance for Green Bay to add another receiver to the mix.
Green Bay could have addressed that in the 2020 NFL Draft, and the selection of quarterback Jordan Love continues to be questioned. Look at Tee Higgins, who was selected seven picks later. He has 488 receiving yards and three TDs as one of rookie Joe Burrow’s favorite targets. Higgins could have been that extra weapon in Green Bay, too.
Rodgers has to be frustrated with that, knowing that the other NFC teams made upgrades. Seattle traded for Carlos Dunlap. Tampa Bay signed Antonio Brown. New Orleans traded for linebacker Kwon Alexander.
The Packers could not make a deal. Green Bay appears content to rely on the same-old magic act from Rodgers, but you can only pull so many rabbits out of your head. The Packers will always be good enough to reach the NFC championship game with Rodgers under center. He's led Green Bay there four times in his career, but the past two appearances exposed this problem.
Atlanta routed Green Bay 44-21 in the NFC championship in 2016. San Francisco did the same last season in a 37-20 blowout. The prevailing narrative after both was whether the Packers had done enough to help a two-time MVP and future Hall of Famer get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2010.
A trade could have provided a spark — at least the notion — that Green Bay really is going for it this time. The Packers had two chances to do it and failed. Would a wide receiver have made a difference?
That question can never truly be answered now, which puts more undeserved pressure on Rodgers than ever.
"again" - Google News
November 04, 2020 at 05:14AM
https://ift.tt/3eoZW91
Packers' inaction at trade deadline fails Aaron Rodgers yet again - Sporting News
"again" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YsuQr6
https://ift.tt/2KUD1V2
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Packers' inaction at trade deadline fails Aaron Rodgers yet again - Sporting News"
Post a Comment