NFC North

Aaron Rodgers does not appear completely comfortable with his new, younger receiving corps for 2022.

“I like production over potential. There’s some production and a lot of potential," Rodgers told reporters Tuesday. "So we need to temper expectations and heighten accountability.”

The Packers traded Davante Adams, Rodgers' top wideout for the last six seasons, to the Las Vegas Raiders in a blockbuster deal in March. The trade came after Adams requested a move and allowed him to sign a massive new extension in Las Vegas but left Rodgers without a clear WR1.

Green Bay also lost Marques Valdez-Scantling in free agency, leaving Rodgers with a crop of past-their-prime veterans and unproven young players. Rookie Christian Watson, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb project at the top of the depth chart at the moment, and the Packers also signed veteran Sammy Watkins.

“I was 100 percent on board with that," Rodgers said of signing Watkins. "I think it's important you get guys who have a lot to play for, and I think Sammy has the opportunity to continue and travel down a new path in his career. We can help him here as he continues to improve and get opportunities. ... I love the disposition. I really enjoy the person.”

Aaron Rodgers on signing Sammy Watkins: “I was 100% on board with that. I think it’s important you get guys who have a lot to play for, and I think Sammy has the opportunity to continue & travel down a new path in his career … I love the disposition. I really enjoy the person.” pic.twitter.com/fAX0UWXFIm

— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) June 7, 2022

Watkins is actually the receiver on the roster who has the most recent 1,000-yard season. Unfortunately for the Packers and Rodgers, that came in 2015.

The onus will arguably be heavier on Rodgers than it's been at any point in recent memory. Until Rodgers has the trust in his new collection of talent, don't be surprised if the Packers heavily feature running backs Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.

The Chicago Bears were required to cancel their practice Tuesday after violating NFL rules, according to ESPN's Courtney Cronin.

The Bears reportedly had live contact at their organized team activities in May, which is prohibited by the collective bargaining agreement.

NFLPA representatives witnessed the live contact during a regularly scheduled visit to the Bears' facility, per Cronin. After issuing a warning, the players association requested video from ensuing practices and saw more live contact.

The Bears are scheduled to return to practice Wednesday.

Chicago heads into 2022 with a new staff led by first-year head coach Matt Eberflus, who spent the last four seasons as defensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts.

General manager Ryan Poles is also in his first year in the role.

Despite the lack of leadership experience, Eberflus has spent 13 years in the NFL as an assistant. Defensive coordinator Alan Williams and special teams coordinator Richard Hightower have spent even more time in the league.

The staff is hoping it can turn the franchise around after it posted a 6-11 record in 2021. Chicago has just one season with a winning record in the last nine years and zero playoff wins in that time.

The Bears will finish OTAs this week before they begin their mandatory minicamp next Tuesday.

Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers has reported to his team's mandatory minicamp on Monday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

The news comes after the quarterback missed the Packers' organized team activities, which were voluntary.

Head coach Matt LaFleur said last month he remained in contact with Rodgers while he was away, but the quarterback was expected to report for minicamp.

Rodgers missed the Packers' full offseason program last year, including the mandatory minicamp, after requesting a trade and even considering retirement. He eventually returned for training camp and didn't miss a beat on the field, winning his second straight MVP award and fourth of his career.

The 38-year-old had a league-leading 111.9 quarterback rating with 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions, leading the Packers to a 13-3 record as a starter and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Though the team fell short of its goal of a Super Bowl, there was less drama involving the quarterback this offseason as he signed a four-year, $200 million extension in March.

Green Bay once again has its sights on a championship in 2022, but it could still afford to not have Rodgers during early offseason practices.

"Aaron doesn’t need reps at this time of the year," quarterback coach Tom Clements said during OTA's. "So, obviously, it would be nice to have him here. But he’s seen these things 1,000 times. He’ll be ready to go when training camp starts."

With Rodgers now returning to the practice field, the preparation for next season can truly begin.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers knows his playing career will end sooner than later.

Speaking to TNT's Ernie Johnson on the QB Talk special that aired after The Match (h/t Zach Ragan of AtoZSports.com), the reigning two-time NFL MVP said he thinks about retirement "all the time."

"When you commit, you're 100 percent," Rodgers added. "But the older you get, the interests change, and the grind, I think, wears on you a little more. The football part is the easy part. That's the joy. It’s the other stuff that wears on you and makes you think about life after football. Tommy (Brady) obviously set the bar so high with playing so many years, but I can definitely see the end coming."

There was speculation after the Packers' 13-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round that Rodgers might retire.

Rodgers addressed the topic during a Jan. 25 appearance on The Pat McAfee Show (h/t SB Nation's Justis Mosqueda), noting he would make a final decision before the start of the franchise-tag period in late February.

"I understand that my decision does impact a number of other people's decisions and I want to be very sensitive to that. I'll definitely make a decision sooner rather than later," he said.

Rodgers ultimately decided to come back, signing a three-year contract extension that runs through 2026 and averages $50 million per season.

This was a swift decision compared to how long Rodgers dragged things out after the 2020 season. His return last year wasn't reported until July 26, when ESPN's Adam Schefter noted the 10-time Pro Bowler and team agreed to multiple conditions that addressed certain issues he had.

While the Packers did get Rodgers back for the upcoming season, the offense he plays in figures to look very different from what we have seen in recent years.

Davante Adams, who accounted for 28.5 percent of the Packers' targets and 30.6 percent of their receptions in 2021, was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. They also lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard and rookie Christian Watson figure to be the top three receivers entering the 2022 season.

Rodgers will turn 39 on Dec. 2. He has shown no signs of slowing down to this point in his career. The five-time All-Pro has thrown for 8,414 yards and 85 touchdowns in 26 starts over the past two seasons combined.

The Packers were the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs in 2020 and 2021, but they have been unable to reach the Super Bowl since beating the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2010 season.

We're still in the honeymoon stage of the NFL offseason—a time when optimism runs through team facilities with a fresh start in the minds of players and coaches.

Following the first waves of free agency, the Chicago Bears took a lot of criticism for their offseason plan, specifically for the offense. However, last week in an interview with Bleacher Report's Scott Polacek, quarterback Justin Fields highlighted his wide receiver unit as a group of unheralded playmakers.

"We don't have an Odell [Beckham Jr.] or a Cooper Kupp on our team, but at the end of the day I think if everybody is on their P's and Q's, and we're on top of everything and not making mistakes, the players we have right now are good enough. ... Just because we don't have a big-name guy, doesn't mean those guys aren't talented. I have plenty of confidence in myself and my teammates that we're going to get the job done."

Fields is absolutely right in one aspect. Aside from Darnell Mooney, the Bears' wide receiver room isn't going to grab headlines.

Chicago signed veteran wideouts Byron Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown, Tajae Sharpe, Dante Pettis and David Moore. None of them have recorded 50 catches or 600 receiving yards in a single season. At best, they're all No. 3 options on any given roster.

The Bears selected Velus Jones Jr. in the third round of the 2022 draft. If he plays a decent role, the speedy Tennessee product could be dangerous in the open field and rack up yards after the catch. The rookie made a play on the practice field that caught Fields' attention.

"At rookie minicamp there was one play that stood out to me, he had a 10-yard dig route in and caught it and hit that second gear kick for a touchdown. I think he caught it at 10 yards and took it 60, so he's a great run-after-the-catch guy. He's going to pick up a lot of yards and is physical. He's almost like a running back at receiver. Having him on the outside and putting the ball in his hands and letting him work will be great."

While Jones' early impression sounds good, he only had one standout collegiate campaign as a pass-catcher through six years between USC (four) and Tennessee (two), registering 62 catches for 807 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021.

If Fields isn't right about the hidden gems in his wide receiver group, he'll struggle to move the ball through the air, especially with two inexperienced second-year players projected to play at tackle in Larry Borom (eight starts) and Teven Jenkins (two starts). The Bears need a solid No. 2 option in the passing game to complement Mooney for a balanced attack.

As a second-year player in a leadership position, Fields isn't going to throw the front office under the bus or downplay the potential of his teammates. He said the right thing publicly, which is part of his job as a quarterback.

Even if the Bears strongly believe at least one wideout will emerge from a group that lacks leaguewide recognition, the front office should do its due diligence to help its young signal-caller.

Fortunately for the Bears, they can explore multiple options on the trade market. With a change of scenery, three players in particular could take advantage of new opportunities in the Windy City. Chicago can possibly land any of them with a middle- or late-round 2023 pick.

The Bears should make the first call to the New York Giants, who may have a former fifth-round standout on the outside looking in at a spot on the depth chart.

The Athletic's Dan Duggan believes Darius Slayton might have an uphill climb to make the 53-man cut.

"Don't be surprised if Slayton doesn't make the final roster if the Giants aren't able to find a trade partner and their cap situation remains tight," Duggan wrote.

After Big Blue selected Wan'Dale Robinson in the second round of the 2022 draft, Duggan doubled down on his take about Slayton.

"The Giants added Robinson in the second round to a position group that looks deep on paper but could be in a state of flux," Duggan wrote. "The odds of trading or cutting Slayton for $2.5 million in cap savings increased with the addition of Robinson."

As an underrated player out of Auburn, Slayton caught 98 passes for 1,491 yards and 11 touchdowns between 2019 and 2020. Last year, he saw a drop-off in target volume and production (26 receptions for 339 yards and two touchdowns) with the addition of Kenny Golladay, who signed a four-year, $72 million deal, and Kadarius Toney (2021 first-rounder).

The Bears should at least pick up the phone and gauge the asking price for Slayton, who posted WR2-level receiving numbers in his first two pro years.

Staying in the NFC East, Chicago can inquire about Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jalen Reagor, who may fall to fourth on the depth chart.

On Day 1 of the 2022 draft, the Eagles acquired Pro Bowl wideout A.J. Brown and signed him to a four-year, $100 million extension. He'll line up opposite DeVonta Smith, who had a strong 2021 rookie campaign, hauling in 64 passes for 916 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, Quez Watkins made significant strides, primarily out of the slot, logging 43 receptions for 647 yards and a touchdown.

Through two campaigns, Reagor has registered pedestrian receiving numbers with just 64 catches for 695 yards and three touchdowns. He's unlikely to play up to his potential with Brown, Smith and Watkins healthy.

According to ESPN's Tim McManus, the Eagles will listen to offers for Reagor, and he could become an afterthought in the offense if the team doesn't move him.

"The Eagles are open to listening to offers for him, according to league sources," McManus wrote. "This feels like a situation where a change of scenery would be best for all sides. Even if he does return for the 2022 season, the Eagles won't be banking on Reagor as a primary option."

Eagles executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman doesn't "anticipate" a trade that involves Reagor—perhaps a fifth-round pick changes his mind, though.

Reagor has the draft pedigree (2020 first-rounder) that will likely allow him to get a second chance to catch on with a new team. He could see a lot of looks in the passing game with the Bears.

With a third call on the trade market, the Bears should check in on Nelson Agholor, who's played on a Super Bowl team and finished with at least 736 receiving yards in three out of his last five seasons.

After an underwhelming 2021 campaign with then-rookie Mac Jones, catching 37 passes for 473 yards and three touchdowns, Agholor may drop a spot or two on the New England Patriots depth chart.

The Patriots acquired DeVante Parker from the Miami Dolphins and selected Tyquan Thornton in the second round of the draft.

The Bears should strongly consider a battle-tested veteran who can quickly establish a rapport with Fields as a reliable target. Nelson could aid the development of the two young wideouts expected to handle big roles in Mooney and Jones, too. In exchange for a late-round pick, Chicago may be able to snag a productive leader for an offense in transition, which is key for a rebuilding squad.

General manager Ryan Poles can believe in his offseason plan and still look to improve a wide receiver corps that only features one established playmaker. He doesn't have to take a big swing and give up premium draft capital either.

The Bears can bargain-bin shop on the trade market for receivers who wouldn't cost them much but may possibly reinvent themselves within an unsettled group.

Slayton and Agholor have already shown they're capable of filling the No. 2 role. Reagor has some appeal with his potential and inside-outside versatility. Chicago should roll the dice on any of the three wide receivers in an effort to provide Fields with another viable pass-catching target in 2022.

College football statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.

Father Time comes for everyone, including the once-dominant Julio Jones.

The wide receiver is available on the free-agent market following an underwhelming, injury-riddled 2021 season. After building a Hall of Fame-worthy resume, Jones is a potential flier for the right team—one that has an elite quarterback and a need at receiver.

While Aaron Rodgers is away from voluntary OTAs, the Green Bay Packers quarterback should flex his recruiting muscles and reach out to Jones months after the team traded two-time All-Pro wideout Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Jones won't completely replace what Adams brought. However, with Rodgers still able to play at an MVP level, the fading star receiver can produce one more highlight season in the twilight of his career.

If Rodgers does play matchmaker, he might not be the only one in town advocating for Jones. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport told the Pat McAfee Show on May 10 the Packers might be interested in a veteran wide receiver, particularly Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr. or Jones: 

"This is a great WR market for the Packers & I think they're gonna be involved for Jarvis Landry, Julio Jones & OBJ" ~@RapSheet#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/UXRLxnqNFK

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 10, 2022

Since then, the New Orleans Saints signed Landry. Beckham will probably start the 2022 season on the physically unable to perform list or on injured reserve while he recovers from a torn ACL (suffered in February) for the second time in two years.

Though Jones has missed seven games in each of the last two seasons, he's avoided significant long-term injuries that would require an extensive rehab process.

If the Packers want a veteran wide receiver who can contribute right away, Jones seems like the obvious choice from Rapoport's shortlist of potential candidates.

Furthermore, defensive backs have to account for him over the top. Despite a down year with the Tennessee Titans, he had some vintage moments before a nagging hamstring injury hindered him.

In Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, Jones looked like the prime Atlanta Falcons version of himself when he hauled in a 51-yard pass from quarterback Ryan Tannehill: 

.@JulioJones_11 goes deep for 51 yards! #Titans

📺: #TENvsSEA on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/06ffWqEqvq

— NFL (@NFL) September 19, 2021

Jones finished that game with six receptions for 128 yards. Even though that outing went down as a flash-in-pan performance, he still averaged 14 yards per reception for the campaign, which tied for 26th among all pass-catchers. As the second fiddle to wideout A.J. Brown, Jones also had a solid outing against the Cincinnati Bengals in a divisional playoff matchup, converting seven targets into six receptions for 62 yards.

Imagine what Jones can do while healthy and with a significant upgrade at quarterback. 

During the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Tannehill reached his career peak under former Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. After a mediocre six-year run with the Miami Dolphins, he took over for Marcus Mariota and won 2019 Comeback Player of the Year and then threw for a career-high 33 touchdowns in the following campaign.

In 2021, Smith moved on to become the head coach of the Falcons, who coincidentally traded Jones to the Titans in the same offseason, and Tannehill's passing production took a nosedive.

Sure, Jones has experienced issues with durability, mostly because of hamstring injuries over the past two years, but he played in a run-dominant offense that led the league in rush attempts and featured a quarterback who lost his mojo in 2021.

In Green Bay, Jones would play with a four-time MVP who just won the honor in back-to-back seasons. This offseason, the Packers made Rodgers the highest-paid player in NFL history, which means they still trust him to sling the ball downfield, but the signal-caller may not have much faith in his group of receivers.

Green Bay selected three wideouts in the 2022 draft: Christian Watson (second round), Romeo Doubs (fourth round) and Samori Toure (seventh round). As unknown commodities, they'll have to earn Rodgers' trust, and the quarterback has delayed that process with his early absence from the offseason program. 

Randall Cobb has played with Rodgers for nine seasons, but he's primarily a slot receiver on a sharp decline. On top of that, the 31-year-old doesn't stretch the field vertically, averaging 12.1 yards per catch for his career.

Second-year wide receiver Amari Rodgers must continue to work on his rapport with Rodgers as the probable replacement for Cobb in the slot. He caught four passes for 45 yards last season.

Allen Lazard could take a significant step in his fifth year, though that's not a guarantee for a player who's made gradual strides with career highs of 40 catches, 513 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

Sammy Watkins could reel in passes downfield, as he's averaging 14.5 yards per career reception, but he's had some inefficiencies in his game, logging catch rates below 58 percent in five out of eight seasons. And like Jones, the 28-year-old has battled injuries that sapped his productivity, missing 10 contests over the past two terms. 

If Watkins continues to miss stretches, Jones can provide the explosive plays on the perimeter. As the two wideouts age, the Packers may need to roster both to ensure a big-play receiver suits up to keep defenses honest with a home run threat on the boundary. In that aspect, Green Bay will miss wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling (17.5 yards per reception for his career), who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs.

On a modest, incentive-laden deal, Jones could become another cog in a solid wide receiver committee that compensates for the loss of Adams. If he stays healthy, he can cash in on some performance bonuses, but if his body continues to wear down, the Packers would just be on the hook for the base value of his contract.

At this point in Jones' career, he should expect that type of contract structure. Still, he'll likely play in meaningful games through January with the Packers, who have won the NFC North each of the last three seasons.

In the big picture, an agreement between Green Bay and Jones works out for everyone. The Packers would make a low-risk, high-reward acquisition in a former star who may have something left and at worst provides depth. As for Jones, he would play with the best quarterback he's teamed with in his lengthy career. No disrespect to Matt Ryan, but Rodgers has a far better resume and hasn't shown signs of slowing down.

Assuming Rapoport is correct that Jones won't command an eight-figure salary, the Packers' $17 million in cap space is more than enough to take a flier on a receiver who was among the league's top five just a few years ago.

     

Cap-space estimates are provided by Over the Cap.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.

Jordan Love is still waiting for his opportunity to lead the Green Bay Packers offense after the team signed Aaron Rodgers to a three-year, $150.8 million extension in March.

However, he's not upset with the deal, which could prevent him from starting in 2022 and beyond, telling reporters Tuesday that he was "super happy" for the four-time MVP. 

"I was super happy for Aaron," Love said. "Obviously the dude deserves it—obviously what he's done the last two years. But personally for me, it just means that I'm about to be a backup again for this year. And that's all I can control right now. But I was happy for Aaron, but at the same time, it's like, 'Ah.'"

#Packers Jordan Love on Aaron Rodgers’ contract extension, and if this offseason has felt different from a mental standpoint (knowing he’ll be backup again): pic.twitter.com/B79aTju3qa

— Nicole Menner (@NicoleMenner) May 24, 2022

At points over the last year, it felt like Love could soon take over as Green Bay's starting quarterback since it seemed like Rodgers and the Packers were headed for a divorce. Now he likely won't get reps as the franchise's starter through the remainder of his rookie contract.

That said, Love is taking first-team snaps during voluntary OTAs this week with Rodgers away from the team. He told reporters that his preparation has been the same as it was last year:

It was kind of the same cuz you didn't know what was going to happen. And obviously now that he's signed and he's back, I don't think it changes anything for me. Like I said, I'm still here. I'm still going to do my job, and I'm competing to try and be that guy if he wasn't here or if he is here. And like you said, he's not here right now, so I'm getting all those [No.] 1 reps. So I look at it as I'm the guy right now.

The Packers traded up in the 2020 draft to select Love with the 26th pick. He had an impressive college career at Utah State, completing 61.2 percent of his passes for 8,600 yards and 60 touchdowns against 29 interceptions across three seasons.

However, he has barely been able to showcase his talent in the NFL. Love started one game last season, completing 19 of 34 passes for 190 yards and one touchdown with one interception in a 13-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 23-year-old likely won't get a single start in 2022 unless Rodgers suffers an injury.

With Rodgers under contract, it's worth watching whether the Packers pick up Love's fifth-year option next offseason or if he draws trade interest that could result in his becoming a starter elsewhere. 

Aaron Rodgers is not with the Green Bay Packers for the start of organized team activities, but head coach Matt LaFleur spoke with the quarterback Monday and said he is "in good spirits," via ESPN's Rob Demovsky.

LaFleur added in his press conference Tuesday that the two discussed "tweaks to the offense" for the upcoming season.

Despite missing the voluntary OTAs that began Monday, Rodgers is expected to attend the mandatory minicamp that begins on June 7.

Last offseason, Rodgers missed both sessions while he contemplated his future with the team. There are fewer concerns this year after he signed an extension in March.

"Aaron doesn’t need reps at this time of the year," quarterback coach Tom Clements told reporters last week. "So, obviously, it would be nice to have him here. But he’s seen these things 1,000 times. He’ll be ready to go when training camp starts."

Rodgers certainly didn't suffer after his missed practices in 2021, finishing the year with 4,115 passing yards, 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He led the NFL with a 111.9 passer rating on his way to a second straight MVP award, the fourth of his career.

The missed time at OTAs also helps get more reps for Jordan Love, the 2020 first-round pick who has seen limited action through the first two years of his career. He has just one start and six regular-season appearances, totaling 411 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Rodgers could still use some time this offseason to get acquainted to a rebuilt receiving corps, which no longer has Davante Adams or Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Free-agent addition Sammy Watkins and rookie second-round pick Christian Watson could have significant roles in 2022 alongside familiar targets Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.