Packers’ Rodgers high on Wilson’s potential
Aaron Rodgers has some advice for Zach Wilson after the quarterback regressed in his second season and was benched en route to the Jets missing the playoffs.
During his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, the Packers quarterback — who’s been linked to the Jets amid trade rumors — was asked about his relationship with Wilson.
“I met him before the draft and then they came and practiced against us in the preseason, some of those inter-squad practices [in August 2021]. … I think he’s super-talented,” Rodgers said. “I think a little humility is good for all of us at various times in our careers. I think the first year, they literally had no players. They came to play us and I was like, the defense can play, and the offense needs some players.
“For him it’s just gonna be leaning into humility and consistently working on the fundamentals. … I hope that whoever they decide to go with at coordinator can come in and work with him and break down a lot of the fundamentals for him and get him playing on time, because I think he’s talented enough to have a long career in the league.”
Rodgers’ comments came after ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday that the Jets are expected to “scour the earth” for a potential new quarterback in addition to Wilson.
This marks the third straight offseason in which Rodgers’ playing future is unclear.
Rodgers, 39, played coy about his future with the Packers. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that an offseason trade is a “very real scenario” for both sides.
“All the trade stuff is conjecture until I decide what I want to do moving forward for myself,” Rodgers said on the show, adding that he’s taking time to decompress while he contemplates his future.
“Any time you make a decision you have to try and take the emotion out of it and there is emotion with the end of the season, the end of runs with certain teams and specific teammates that might be moving on and obviously the way the season ends.”
The quarterback added that he’s never been in a position in his career where he’s thought about “being in another uniform.”
Rodgers said he’s “open to all honest and direct conversations” with the Packers about his future.
“That’s number one — if I want to play. Number two, it’s got to be mutual on both sides,” Rodgers said. “What does a team look like with me? What are the proposed direction of players they want to bring in and where I fit in and the prospects moving forward? You want to be part of a team that’s going to win a championship. … I don’t need all my guys to be there. … It’s kind of the feel of the team.”