With practices already begun and the preseason only weeks away, it is time to settle the question that is on every Packer fans mind: who should be our starting quarterback?
I am going on the assumption that Brett Favre will only be on the Packers' sideline once this year, to have his jersey retired the first week of the season. I love this move by the Green Bay management. They retire him as fast as possible, because they know what kind of effect he could have on the team and at the QB position especially.
I am not saying they hate him or they wanted him to retire. I am just saying Favre going back and forth, telling different people different things is really hurting the team.
Now to the quarterback battle. It is pretty clear it will be between Rodgers and Brohm. Matt Flynn is a good ballplayer and a winner, but for the NFL, it is clear he is not ready and is a little undersized. I am happy to have him in camp and ecstatic to have him as the third-string back.
It is pretty obvious who will be under center the first snap of the year and for the last game of the year. Let's talk about Aaron Rodgers and why he has earned this spot. He started his college career in Chico, Calif. at a small school named Butte College. He was a pure leader there, leading them to a 10-1 record and a No. 2 national ranking.
Realizing the pros would not be calling him at a school named Butte, he transferred to play with the big boys at Cal. He played sparingly in the first four games, but took over the starting position his fifth game of his sophomore season and never gave it back. Overall, he had great numbers and won some big games, including a couple bowl games.
Going into the draft, he had marks and a lot of people thought he would be taken in the Top Five. Rodgers was hit by bad luck and slid all the way to No. 24. Having carried Favre's notebook since 2005, Rodgers has learned a lot. He has never started and has really only played in two regular season games.
The first was against New England in the 2006 season after Favre got hurt and New England was giving the Pack a beatdown. The second was against Dallas last year. He came in for Favre, who again got hurt and was struggling, and he had an impressive game. He threw for 201 yards and a TD and got us back in the game.
Aaron has decent size at 6-foot-2, and he is solid at 223 pounds. He has improved greatly on his arm strength and can move well around the pocket. Also, when the pocket collapses, he can run for a first down.
The biggest plus is his teammates have confidence in him. Driver and Jennings support this kid with everything in them. Players have been quoted as saying Rodgers knew defenses better this year then anyone. He could predict what they were going to do and be right a lot.
Rodgers has also been around Green Bay most of the summer and was a participant in McCarthy's QB school. He fits perfect in the West Coast offense and if he can keep himself healthy he is easily the best QB in the NFC North.
Brohm was brought to Green Bay to compete for a starting job. He is a solid quarterback and may get his chance in the next couple years, or he may sit the bench get better while learning under Rodgers. Then, he could go on to another team and become their franchise quarterback for a former coach. That's weird; I think that’s happened before.
Here's to a good training camp battle and no injuries.
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4 months ago
As a Bills fan in a town still looking for someone to replace Jim Kelly, Todd Collins was in Aaron Rogers shoes once. So was Alex Van Pelt, Billy Joe Hobert, Rob Johnson, Doug Flutie, Brew Bledsoe, Kelly Holcomb and JP Losman. On that note, good luck to everyone in Green Bay!
4 months ago
Brohm is a great quarterback, and will be an above-average starter in the coming years. Until then, he has to suffice under the tutalige of another young quarterback. Good luck to him.
4 months ago
Brohm wasn't really brought in to compete for a starting job. He was brought in as insurance in case Rodgers continues his trend of getting hurt for long periods of time.
Best-case scenario for Rodgers is that he meets standards and the Pack can keep Brohm and Flynn as a Matt Hassellbeck style projects.
Best-case scenario for Brohm: Rodgers doesn't work out in either the talent or health area, and Brohm comes in to prove himself this year, or next.
But expect a Rex Grossman style situation of "Rodgers is our QB" in GB for this season, at least.
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