Aaron Rodgers now has a certain kind of reputation in the league. A kind that has franchises scared of having him on the team. The die-hard Packers fans would say that they saw a dramatic shift in the QB’s personality post-2013. And over the last two years, ever since he signed with the Jets, things just became worse. There is hardly anyone who hasn’t called out Rodgers for his antics during the Jets era.
Earlier, when the Jets were still deciding on his future with the team, there were even reports that they had a few conditions for him to follow if he wanted to remain. The first was not to take vacations during the team’s camps. The second was not to go on Pat McAfee‘s show for his usual rant every Tuesday. And now that the QB is in search of his new home, everyone out there is warning the teams who might be thinking of signing him. But when Mike Florio says something, you better listen.
The NBC writer and reporter, in his straight-no-BS approach, called out Rodgers and also discussed why Kevin O’Connell might not want Rodgers on his team. “Aaron Rodgers isn’t as, the kids would say, washed, but he’s not the guy that won back-to-back MVPs in 2020 and 2021, right? He doesn’t have the mobility that he did, and when he tries to use it, he could get himself injured.” Florio threw criticism the QB’s way, saying that you can’t stop Rodgers from being Rodgers.
“He’s still going to do the Pat McAfee bully pulpit once every Tuesday.” The NBC reporter also pointed out how most of the Jets squad wanted him out. WR Garrett Wilson was even ready to ask for a trade had Rodgers stayed on the team. Saying that, “there’s an element of toxicity,” Florio also states that the veteran QB would hamper JJ McCarthy‘s development. “If they do a two-year deal with Rodgers, fully guaranteed, McCarthy’s going to want to be traded.“
“Kevin O’Connell is the ultimate Minnesota coach… And he’s a positive force. I don’t think that’s going to work on Rodgers,” added Mike. In short, you could say, ‘Aaron Rodgers wants to sign with Minnesota, but Minnesota doesn’t want him.’
Well, while the Aaron Rodgers debate will continue, there’s another thing that the Vikings need to focus on: their O-line.
Vikings’ O-Line needs strengthening
This offseason, Minnesota spent a lot of cash in its free agency shopping spree. But it looks like not much was spent on the O-line. They need it to be as strong as possible if 2024 Draft recruit J.J. McCarthy is going to be the starting QB. This would be his first year as an NFL starting QB, and the Vikings need to make sure they have a safe nest for him to spread his wings out of. So far, the team has brought in OT Will Fries and Ryan Kelly to the offensive squad.
Now, if we look at the defensive lineup, they signed LB Eric Wilson. The 30-year-old will be playing his second stint with the team. Then, they picked up DE Javon Hargrave from free agency. To strengthen their CB depth, they signed Isaiah Rodgers and extended their contract with CB Byron Murphy. Minnesota also signed a three-year contract with defensive player Jonathan Allen worth $60 million. RB Aaron Jones also received a contract extension worth $20 million. Now, that is not what you would call a balanced roster, which you will need if you want to go for a longer run in the competition.
And Minnesota is most likely going with an inexperienced QB. So, they better prioritize the O-line needs first lest they spend money on a controversial superstar in free agency and end up with an imbalanced roster.
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