GURLEY ON THE PACKERS, RODGERS SAGA
By: Allan Ly
RP Show Intern
NFL Analyst Tori Gurley joined the Rod Pedersen Show for his regular Friday appearance and offered his take on the biggest story in the NFL: quarterback Aaron Rodgers wanting out of Green Bay. Like several NFL pundits, Gurley feels the 16-year veteran’s days in Wisconsin are over, possibly concluding with a trade to the Denver Broncos.
“I can see him having a great career if he ended up in Denver,” Gurley offered. “They have a supporting defence, and that’s what he needs.”
The turmoil reportedly started when the Packers decided to trade back into the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft and take quarterback Jordan Love from Utah State with the 26th pick.
Most football experts, including Gurley, were surprised with the pick as they thought the Packers could use the selection on someone else like an offensive weapon to help Rodgers.
“They could have got a receiver in the first round,” Gurley continued. “And then, if they wanted, get Jordan Love in the second round.”
Well, that selection clearly lit a fire under Rodgers who took the NFL by storm winning regular season MVP, and as reported by Jake Curtis’s article on Cal Sports Report, received 44 out of the 50 votes for the award.
By selecting Love, the Packers missed out on Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver Tee Higgins from Clemson, who was drafted in the second round with the 33rd pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
Higgins finished his rookie season just shy of 1000 yards and had six touchdowns.
The only real threat that the Packers had during the 2020 season was with Davante Adams who racked up 1374 receiving yards.
The second highest in receiving for the Packers in the 2020 season was tight end Robert Tonyan from Indiana State, who just had 586 receiving yards.
Higgins would have been a very nice compliment to Rodgers arsenal however, that didn’t turn out to be the case.
Love did not play a single game in the NFL 2020 season as Rodgers was cruising to MVP status. Now that the veteran quarterback has told Green Bay he wants out – and there are rumours he’s prepared to sit out the 2021 season – the Packers have gone out and signed free agent quarterback Blake Bortles. However Gurley is not a fan.
“That’s an indictment on Jordan Love that he’s not ready to play and that you have to bring in another veteran quarterback,” Gurley, a former Packers receiver, huffed.
“It wouldn’t shock me if he sat out,” Gurley continued. “I can see him standing firm because Aaron is a man of pride and (his pride) has been hurt.”
Gurley also discussed Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers and how impressed he is with #3 overall pick, quarterback Trey Lance from North Dakota State.
“I think (Lance) can have a great year because two years ago the San Francisco 49ers were in a Super Bowl,” said Gurley. “So now you get almost the same team back.”
Elsewhere in the NFL, Tim Tebow is rumoured to be joining the Jacksonville Jaguars at the tight end position. The suggestion has brought about a firestorm of backlash, including from Gurley.
“I mean, that’s almost like a slap in the face to every person as a free agent and every kid who went undrafted,” Gurley stated.
All of the drama in this offseason makes me wish that the NFL 2021 season will start sooner but Week 1 will begin on September 9.
(Follow Allan Ly on Twitter at @AllanTheIntern)
