'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Green Bay Packers, like the rest of the teams in the NFL, have already begun their organized training activities (OTAs). However, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, will reportedly not report as the OTAs are voluntary up to this point.
NFL analyst Mike Tannebaum was a guest on the ESPN show Get Up and he believes that Rodgers needs to be at OTAs in order to build a stronger relationship with his teammates (many of them being new).
Here's what Tannenbaum had to say about Aaron Rodgers missing the Packers' OTAs:
"Go to Green Bay, Wisconsin in late May, early June to give yourself the best chance to win. The people that think it's a good idea for him not to be there are people like Matt Stafford and Tom Brady, his competition."
He continued:
"Because they're investing in their teammates. Aaron Rodgers isn't. Pro football is won on the margins. Every practice, every rep is meaningful. And the other part of this is the coaches put in a lot of time to get prepared for OTAs. When he doesn't show up. He's signaling it's not important. So it takes away from their credibility as well."
Last season, Rodgers also missed last year's OTAs and the Packers had the best record in the league, which earned them the sole first-round bye in the playoffs. Green Bay lost 13-10 in the Divisional Round of the NFC playoffs last season to the San Francisco 49ers.
Suggesting that his attendance at the OTAs last season would have made a difference to the Packers' performance in the January snow is mere conjecture. People will likely believe what they like, but with that said, it couldn't have hurt their chances.
Will the Packers get back to the Super Bowl in 2022-2023?
Green Bay has not played in the Super Bowl since 2011. That year, they succeeded in winning it all against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game that finished 31-25. Since then, they have lost four NFC Championship games and have not returned once.
But will that all change in 2022? The Packers have made several drastic changes to their roster for the upcoming season. The most glaring of those being the trade of former star receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. Adams is widely considered to be the best receiver in the game today.
Green Bay lost fellow former receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Chicago Bears, respectively.
To help cushion the blow of losing those players, Green Bay signed Christian Watson out of North Dakota State University in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
At 6'5", 208 pounds and running a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash, Watson has the potential to be a game changer at the position. He has the height to catch jump balls and the speed to be able to vertically stretch the field.
But as with every season, whether or not the team succeeds and gets to the Super Bowl depends on their number 12. The four-time NFL MVP must be better than ever with a fairly new roster intact and being without Adams for the first time since the 2014-2015 season.
Stay tuned as Green Bay continue their preparations for another run at the Lombardi Trophy next season.
