3 reasons why Aaron Rodgers won’t make the Raiders Super Bowl contenders
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is expected to leave the franchise in the upcoming offseason. The Las Vegas Raiders have emerged as a potential destination for him.
Rodgers' former teammate Davante Adams has already started recruiting Rodgers to Las Vegas, as the AFC West franchise is ready to part ways with Derek Carr.
While Rodgers will undoubtedly be an upgrade over Carr for the Raiders, he wouldn't immediately make them Super Bowl contenders.
Las Vegas have many great players on their team, but there are many more things that they need to fix in order to make some noise next season.
Caught up with Raiders WR Davante Adams after his 6th straight Pro Bowl, saying goodbye to Derek Carr as a teammate and the start of his heavy Aaron Rodgers to Raiders recruiting pitch.
From @nflnetwork: https://t.co/RTZmob8erM
Here are three reasons why Aaron Rodgers wouldj not make the Las Vegas Raiders a Super Bowl contender next season:
#1. Josh McDaniels isn't a proven HC
When the Raiders hired former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as head coach, there was a lot of excitement in the air. However, McDaniels was unable to fulfill expectations, and the Raiders were unable to make the playoffs.
McDaniels is yet to establish himself as a good head coach in the NFL, and that is unlikely to change even with Rodgers' addition. Prior to joining the Raiders, McDaniels was the head coach of the Denver Broncos for two seasons from 2008 to 2010, finishing with an 11-17 record.
He has since been the offensive coordinator for the Rams and the Patriots, where he has done well, but he still needs to prove to everyone that he can be an NFL head coach.
Rodgers is never afraid of butting heads with head coaches and will always speak his mind. This could be an issue if the Raiders start badly and cause problems within the franchise.
: @GolfonCBS)Question from @Amanda_Balionis: “Is there a favorite color, favorite city that you have on your mind for next season?”
Aaron Rodgers: “I’m just going to say the predominant team that we hear [from the fans] as we’re walking is Raiders.”
(🎥: @GolfonCBS) https://t.co/57dyTAoUnw
#2. The Raiders defense needs investment
The Las Vegas Raiders had the 26th-ranked defense in the league this past season. They gave up 24.6 points per game, due to which we saw them blow away multiple double-digit leads throughout the season.
Aaron Rodgers will undoubtedly make them a better team but he won't be able to improve their defense unless changes are made. It could be a story similar to his career with the Packers, where the team's defense has let them down on multiple occasions.
Moreover, multiple players for the Raiders on the defensive front will become free agents and nobody knows whether they will be back or not. Players like Clelin Ferrell, Anthony Averett, Denzel Perryman, John Tillery, etc. could choose to walk away and they will be tough to replace.
If the Raiders are to make a real run next season, they need to invest in their defense.
Seasons Aaron Rodgers had the 20th* or worse ranked defense:
2008 - 22nd • 6-10 - No playoffs
2013 - 24th • 8-7-1 - Lost WC
2016 - 21st • 10-6 - Lost Conf.
2017 - 26th • 7-9 - No playoffs
2018 - 22nd • 6-9-1 - No playoffs
*20th is the best defense Raiders had since 2002. twitter.com/PFF/status/162…
#3. Aaron Rodgers would struggle in the AFC West
If Aaron Rodgers is traded to the Raiders, he will have the enormous task of winning the AFC West. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs aren't going anywhere and Sean Payton as the Denver Broncos head coach will undoubtedly improve the team. Then you have Justin Herbert with Kellen Moore as his offensive coordinator in Los Angeles, which might be lethal.
A quick thought: Would Aaron Rodgers even be the best quarterback in the AFC West? Russell Wilson could well see an upturn in fortunes next season, and with Mahomes and Herbert strutting their stuff, where would Rodgers rank?
In addition to competing in a strong division, the Raiders will have to fight the rest of the AFC if they want to make the Super Bowl. Even with Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback next season, the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, and Baltimore Ravens will have a higher chance of making the Super Bowl.