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#2 – At 38 years old, Rodgers isn’t going to get better
Two of Aaron Rodgers’ best years coming at the age of 36 and 37, respectively, is somewhat rare. Quarterback is one of the few positions where veterans can still star in the NFL, with experience helping their overall game-management. Rodgers is now in a battle with time, and it is a battle that no professional athlete has ever won or will ever win.
He will be 38 by the time the 2022 NFL season begins and will turn 39 midway through it. There is no escaping the fact that the quarterback simply isn’t going to get better. Physically, he is now on a decline, which is inevitable, and rarely do players improve after hitting 38.
Tom Brady would be a rare example of where a player has kept playing to such a high level into his forties. But even so, he has lost some of his qualities over the years and certainly isn’t playing better than when he was in New England.
With a weaker receiving corps and another year of NFL football tagged onto the body, Rodgers is due a dip in performance levels. We’re likely to see that in 2022, even if it is marginal, which would still be enough to knock him off the MVP course.
#3 – Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are on the comeback trail
2021 was a disappointing year for both Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. The former saw a downturn in team production with Kansas City, while the latter had to deal with an injury-hit campaign.
Both players are heading into the 2022 season with a chip on their shoulders and a desire to prove doubters wrong.
Jackson has been criticized a lot in the offseason, especially by those with historical ties to the Baltimore Ravens. Yet, he has already won one MVP award and plays such an exciting style of football that he can’t ever be ruled out. A healthy Jackson is a true weapon, one that can disrupt defenses.
Mahomes is arguably the most dynamic thrower of a football the NFL has ever seen. He makes things happen, which takes games away from opposing teams, as the San Francisco 49ers can attest to.
The loss of Tyreek Hill will hurt the Chiefs, but after a down season in 2021, Mahomes will be back in top form, and he still has great receiving options. Travis Kelce, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling will all provide Mahomes with options to put up MVP numbers, while Jackson can do that on his own with his rushing.
Aaron Rodgers doesn’t have these same weapons and options, and it’s difficult to see him being able to outperform the NFL’s most electric and young quarterbacks.
