Cory's Corner: Aaron Rodgers Cannot Be Camp Distraction

I know you are all tired of it.

The Aaron Rodgers situation has been like the weird uncle that continually eats all of your food, sleeps on your couch and takes complete control of the TV remote. 

Rodgers has done all of those things while staying away. That’s pretty amazing stuff right? Well, when you’re Rodgers, you can say a lot without saying anything at all. In the Kenny Mayne tribute interview in May, Rodgers artfully used sidestepping to remain coy about what exactly is going on. 

And that’s what I don’t understand about all this. Rodgers has allowed this whole thing to fester and grow and get worse. He has allowed national pundits to feed on this ever growing monster that has somehow gotten bigger even though nobody really knows what the heck this is all about. 

And why is that? It’s because Rodgers has never put his hands in the air and said, “Hey, all eyes on me. This is why the offseason was like this.” The moment that happens is the moment a lot of people will be able to understand him better. But as we all know from Packers president Mark Murphy he’s a “complicated fella.” 

And that’s the wrong foot to start on with veterans set to report to training camp on the morning of July 27. Because how excited do you think veterans will be giving diatribes about this situation after the second day? This situation has gotten old with fans really fast and you can be rest assured that players aren’t going to want to talk about it either. 

Will Rodgers show up? I sincerely think he will. Not because he will be fined $50,000 per day if he doesn’t. But I think he will show up with something to prove. Remember, his offseason schedule was filled with everything except football and many will want to know if he shows up to camp rusty or ready to roll. 

This will be Rodgers’ 14th season as the Packers starter. I think he just wanted to recharge his batteries and get away from football after another bad playoff taste lurked in his mouth like when you take a gulp of milk and later discover that it’s expired.

This is still Rodgers’ team. He is the three-time MVP. He can do things on a football field that many NFL players can only dream of. Rodgers can literally make an oblong piece of pigskin dance, float and gyrate as it falls into the waiting arms of its intended target. 

Rodgers is that good. I think he’s the best pure passer this league has ever seen. Is he the best quarterback? Nope. That honor would go to a different  No. 12 that plays in Tampa Bay. Tom Brady has been willing to put the team over himself and he has been awarded seven times with fancy finger candy. 

Is Rodgers willing to do those things? I think he could do those things, but obviously we don’t see it. Brady has been busy throwing to teammates and trying to get timing down, while Rodgers was climbing cliffs in Hawaii. 

Rodgers is the best chance for the Packers to win a fifth Super Bowl. However, there’s a balance between doing everything you can to win a championship and sucking the marrow from life with fun and excitement. 

Does Rodgers need a full offseason? Probably not. However, being a great quarterback doesn’t mean just being able to spot and throw open Davante Adams. It means understanding how long Allen Lazard can get open from press coverage, it means understanding how important it is to play with a true slot wideout in rookie Amari Rodgers. 

Training camp is finally here, but Rodgers made this offseason seem like a decade. The time can easily melt away when the questions surrounding Green Bay’s indecisive future Hall of Famer stop.