"You think Peyton Manning would settle for some of this crap?" - Former QB believes Aaron Rodgers is right to call out Packers' rookie WRs

Aaron Rodgers is entering his 18th season in the NFL and his offense will look very different at the wide receiver position. The four-time NFL MVP will be without two of his top wideouts from last season: Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Growing pains were expected with a younger core of receivers and the Green Bay Packers quarterback wasted no time in calling them out. Some criticized Rodgers for publicly pointing out the shortcomings of his receivers after a training session.

However, one analyst is on the side of the Green Bay quarterback openly stating his concerns.

Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms agreed with the 38-year-old signal-caller in his views of his receivers, saying:

“Well, that's why I think, you know, there's the urgency there. Do we write home about Sammy Watkins? I mean, okay, that ship sailed and gone. He's okay. Randall Cobb. Whoa, holy crap. Whoa. I'm shaking in my boots. Allen Lazard. Good player, no doubt, but not the kind of guy that's going to change a defensive game plan.”

Simms concluded his point by asserting that Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning wouldn't have settled for wideouts playing badly and neither should Rodgers:

“And then a bunch of young rookies that don't know their a** from their elbow at this point still. So that's why he's trying to light a fire here. You think Peyton Manning would settle for some of this crap? You messed up again. Get him out. Get him out! Get his a** out of here.”

Rodgers expressed his disapproval of the play of his very young receivers when he said:

"The young guys, especially young receivers, we've got to be way more consistent. A lot of drops, a lot of bad route decisions, running the wrong route. We've got to get better in that area."

He added:

"You keep dropping the ball, you're not going to be out there. It's going to be the most reliable guys that are out there. The preparation and the job responsibility is most important.

"There's going to be physical mistakes, like we've talked about, but if you're going out there and dropping the ball and somebody else behind you is in the right spot all the time and catching the ball, that guy's going to play."

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Aaron Rodgers and his receivers entering the 2022 season

Aaron Rodgers

While the 10-time Pro Bowler has veteran wideouts in Allan Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Sammy Watkins, Green Bay drafted receiver Christian Watson in the second round and Romeo Doubs in round four. The team also has fourth-year receiver Juwann Winfree and second-year wideout Amari Rodgers.

For a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers, losing Adams and Valdes-Scantling is a huge setback. Last season, Adams had 1,533 receiving yards with 11 touchdowns on 123 receptions, and Valdes-Scantling had 26 receptions, 430 yards receiving, and three touchdowns.

The question for Green Bay in 2022 is, can Aaron Rodgers gel with his receivers and have a solid passing game for the offense? We’ll see when the season arrives if his relationship with them can improve.

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