You can call me surprised. The Green Bay Packers actually want tight end Richard Rodgers back. They are reportedly already talking to him about a new deal.
Richard Rodgers' agent, Frank Bauer, said he's had preliminary talks with the Packers about a return. With or without Rodgers, the Packers need tight ends. https://t.co/cdBRFTuZJI
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) March 1, 2018
Rodgers was a third-round pick in 2014 and just played out the final year of his rookie contract. He would be an unrestricted free agent later this month.
The surprising part about this is Rodgers hasn’t been very productive. After catching 58 balls for 510 yards and eight touchdowns in 2015, his numbers have plummeted for two consecutive years. He only had 271 yards in 2016 and 160 last season.
There’s also the fact that the Packers have been trying to replace him for two years running now. They first tried to do it with Jared Cook and then with Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks.
The main thing Rodgers has going in his favor at the moment is the Packers are in bad need of tight ends. Kendricks remains under contract for another year. Former undrafted free agent Emanuel Byrd is the only other tight end on the roster.
The position is one the Packers desperately need to improve. Re-signing Rodgers just keeps it the same. It’s kind of like when the Packers kept bringing back Andrew Quarless. That got them real far.
Anything beyond veteran’s minimum would be overpaying. Bring Justin Perillo back if you want just another guy. Will surely ask for less.
Seriously, what is the point of bringing back our underperforming picks? We didn’t retain Hyde, who was actually contributing, but, oh, we are starting contract negotiations with this JAG. What room for negotiation is there? Just offer something around thr minimum. If he thinks that is too little, the market will show him that it is quite a generous offer. He is a replacement player or practice squad body by now.
Yea, i agree….
They want him, because he knows the system, and they have no one else besides Kendricks.
I highly doubt other teams will be in a bidding war over the services of Richard Rodgers.
I think Rodgers can contribute if they game plan him, last year he got lost in the shuffle, he can be somewhat productive, but yea, he’s just a guy.
Sign him to what he’s making with a small token raise.
Hopefully Russ Ball and our new GM won’t start bidding against themselves anymore.
He has good hands, but no speed (that cannot be taught, alas) nor any blocking ability (despite his bulky structure). Yep, hopefully they don’t outbid themselves like Ted did for James Starks (to the tune of 3M+).
Richard Rodgers
is better
than nothing.
However,
Richard Rodgers
is not better
than something.
Feb 27th, 2014
“In the short term, Rodgers provides almost no value at the next level. His fundamentals, both as a receiver and a blocker, are extremely sloppy and raw and will take a year or two to refine. While he does have some potential once he becomes a more polished product, it’s tough to see where he’ll win at the next level. He doesn’t excel in any one area and he may struggle to carve out a defined role for himself in the NFL.
Draft Projection: 5th-6th Round”
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1970688-richard-rodgers-nfl-draft-2014-highlights-scouting-report-more
Despite that predraft review,
Packers, badly needing a TE, wasted a third, not a 5th or 6th rounder oj him.”
Seeing he sucjs’ 2yrs ago Jared Cook.
Blowing resigning Cook, spend big on Martellus Bennett.
He walks midseason and still counts against our cap this coming yr.
Richard Rodgers sucks worse than ever, and the Packers reportedly “have reached out about re-signing TE Richard Rodgers”.
Lucky fans
That scouting report was pretty accurate! He has very good hands, though. That’s it. All the rest is still valid. A definite reach in round 3.
What is concerning is the fact that some report published by a beat writer, who can be knowledgeable about the game, but doesn’t have the same informational resources scouts (if he does, the team has serious issues), was right about Rodgers. Really? What amazing secret information did they have on him to draft him despite what amateur observers had already evidenced?
I think we should ask Jared Cook how he feels about the Packers wanting Richard Rogers back, but they didn’t want him.
This current regime is giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “the Packers way.”
Just what the doctor ordered on offense. More slow non athletic guys with great hands. All of this could have been avoided by just resigning Cookie.