“They’d be stupid to do that” - Stephen A. Smith blasts idea of Packers moving on from Aaron Rodgers
"First Take" co-host Stephen A. Smith has not minced words when it comes to his criticism of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The ESPN analyst has questioned some of the decisions Rodgers has made on and off the field but still respects the veteran quarterback for what he has accomplished in his career.
Smith spoke about the quarterback's future with the Green Bay Packers and what the team will look like if he does in fact leave this offseason. After Saturday night's loss to the San Francisco 49ers, he said that he would be taking some time to think about what was next and that if the team decides to 'rebuild' then he wants out.
Here's what Smith had to say:
"In terms of the Green Bay Packers moving on, hell no, you'd be stupid to do that. If you made that call as an organization to move on from Aaron Rodgers, where do you go, with Jordan Love? 19 for 34, 190 yards and an interception against Kansas City in his lone game as a starter this year? We saw what he did and how he went to bed against Detroit in the second half of the season finale. He has not been that impressive. We have serious questions as to whether or not he is ready. We see no evidence of that whatsoever. So what direction are you going to go in if you lose somebody like Aaron Rogers?” (First Take)
If Aaron Rodgers departs Green Bay, will Jordan Love be the Packers QB?
The Green Bay Packers drafted Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, which brought about the issues that Aaron Rodgers had with the organization and their lack of communication with him.
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This season, when the starting quarterback missed one game due to COVID-19, Love was given the opportunity to start his first NFL game. It wasn't an outing that he or the Packers were hoping to see.
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Granted, he faced the Kansas City Chiefs, but he was unable to get anything going on offense. In Week 18 against the Detroit Lions, Love played the second half and once again didn't show much improvement.
With the Green Bay Packers over $40 million over the salary cap, there will be changes to the offense due to the team's inability to retain all of their biggest weapons. With a new starting quarterback and possibly a different-looking offense, the Packers may officially be in rebuilding mode this offseason.