We are at a point in the Coronavirus lockdown that dreaming about “what-ifs” or “could-bes” are our best options to form our hot sports takes.
By now you know that LeBron James and Mario Lemieux are my all-time favorite players in their respective sports. You’ll find out soon enough that Barry Bonds and Roger Federer also fit into that category.
It’s time to inform you that my favorite football player of all time is Aaron Rodgers. Don’t I sound like a Millennial? By the way, Millennials are my favorite generation and I’m 57.
With that in mind, I am dismayed and outraged that the Packers moved up four spots from 30 to 26 in the first round of the NFL Draft to select quarterback Jordan Love. Love is 21 years old and certainly a long term project.
The Packers were 13-3 last year and advanced to the NFC Championship Game where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers 37-20. They are in a win-now mode.
The Packers need wide receivers to support their great signal-caller. They also need help on defense, a defense that was shredded in that playoff loss to 49ers. In Rodgers’ eight career playoff losses, the Packers have allowed an average of 37 points per game.
Two themes from the move are:
- The Packers have not selected an offensively skilled player since … Aaron Rodgers in 2005.
- The Packers drafted Rodgers with the 24th pick in the first round in 2005 despite having a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback who was also 36 years old at that time in Brett Favre.
The biggest difference from 15 years ago and this year are Favre was constantly talking about retirement while Rodgers has publicly said he wants to play into his 40’s.
Also, Rodgers slipped to Green Bay at number 24. Many felt that he would go to San Francisco at number 1, instead of Alex Smith. This time around the Packers traded up to get Love, a polarizing prospect, who, at best, was the fourth rated signal-caller in this draft.
Big differences.
Although it won’t or can’t happen due to salary cap restrictions, I can fantasize as the President Of The Aaron Rodgers’ Fan Club, New England Chapter, of Rodgers demanding a trade and Bill Belichick swooping in and sending a boatload to Green Bay for what will be a very “Angry” Aaron.
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The Patriots could replace the best Quarterback of the last decade with the second-best quarterback of the 2010s. Belichick and Rodgers have spoken glowingly about each other over the years. Tom Brady has said that Rodgers would throw for 7,000 yards in the Patriots’ offensive system.
However, this is the NFL, and trades of that magnitude don’t happen. The reality is my favorite football player will have to will his flawed team through a loaded conference to have a chance at a second Lombardi Trophy.
We are living in the strangest times of my lifetime. Please allow me to dream?
John Sapochetti is Co-Host
Of The “SAP & KAT SHOW”
Heard On FullPressCoverage
Follow Him On Twitter @JohnSap25
