I was thinking about the moves Andy Reid has made as a coach. In the spring of 2005 he was coming off his first SB appearance as a head coach. His Eagles played in their fourth consecutive NFC championship game. His star QB was Donovan McNabb, a talented but at times frustrating QB.
A guy like Reid would have been especially attentive to the offensive talent available in the NFL draft. Aaron Rodgers was considered one of the best QB's available in that draft, and many of us remember the reaction to his falling throughout draft night. There was surprise that he was still available when Green Bay was on the board at 24. Many were surprised that GB took him as they had Brett Favre as their starter. Granted, BF was 35 at the time, but the end for him still seemed years away.
Ironically it was Alex Smith who was selected first by SF, not AR. Later, Reid would have the opportunity to coach Smith but in KC. Reid did not get the chance to coach AR in part because GB selected him, which is where Reid came from.
One has to wonder how much this move by Holmgren & co influenced Reid later on, when he would move up 17 spots to draft Mahomes, despite having a winner in Alex Smith at QB. Was he making a move he learned from watching a mentor 12 years earlier?
The other interesting thought I was having is what might have happened had GB NOT taken AR. If they decided to shoot for the SB and used that resource to improve, what could have been the outcome?
1. Would Washington have selected Rodgers? They took QB Jason Campbell exactly one pick later. What would that have meant for their franchise (and the Giants)?
2. What if Reid had decided to move up to get Rodgers? Could you imagine Reid with Rodgers in Philly? Trading McNabb and netting more picks would have done exactly what to the NFC east? Would Reid still be there today?
3. If GB doesn't select Rodgers there, who might they have selected with their first round pick - and how might that have helped them against the Giants in 2007? This would have been the third year for the talented first rounder.
Just some thoughts about an alternate universe to ponder and discuss.
Webster round 2
Tuck round 3
Jacobs round 4
Webster round 2
Tuck round 3
Jacobs round 4
Oof a draft like that would really stiffen the wind in our sails.
Webster wasn't some super athletic freak, Tuck had injury and I think behind the scene "concerns" (?), and Jacobs had like 2 carries at Auburn lol
Webster round 2
Tuck round 3
Jacobs round 4
Very good draft. 2003-07 were overall very good in the draft and FA. A good percentage of these players were part of two SB's.
Not sure why Rodgers dropped. I think part of it was the "Cal factor" and the system. Couple QB's from that system did not pan out well.
Smith might've taken some time to get up to speed, but Reid would've ensured a far better start to his career than what he saw in SF. Smith IMO was a franchise QB physically, just needed the proper environment and possibly a redshirt season. Drafted ahead of his time with the mobility too.
Rodgers would've worked out very well too, but I do think him spending time as Favre's backup building up his game and modifying his throwing motion can't be ignored from the perspective of whether he was always destined to be an all time great.
Probably.
Smith might've taken some time to get up to speed, but Reid would've ensured a far better start to his career than what he saw in SF. Smith IMO was a franchise QB physically, just needed the proper environment and possibly a redshirt season. Drafted ahead of his time with the mobility too.
Rodgers would've worked out very well too, but I do think him spending time as Favre's backup building up his game and modifying his throwing motion can't be ignored from the perspective of whether he was always destined to be an all time great.
Probably.
Smith iirc didn't have very large hands and not the strongest of arms - which is why I called him limited. You'd remember better than I though, and would have more first-hand experience watching his game/development.
I also wonder how much the perceived "snub" Rodgers had played into his development. I agree that sitting behind Favre for years likely helped him quite a bit. What would have been had he been selected #1 overall in SF? Would he have been such a superstar, or did he need the extra motivation from dropping out of the top twenty?
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managed to nab three integral players despite owning only 4-5 picks to begin with. No first rounder..no problem.
Webster round 2
Tuck round 3
Jacobs round 4
Very good draft. 2003-07 were overall very good in the draft and FA. A good percentage of these players were part of two SB's.
Not sure why Rodgers dropped. I think part of it was the "Cal factor" and the system. Couple QB's from that system did not pan out well.
Rodgers is not prototypical size. His tape was phenomenal though, he looked like a natural, too much overthinking I guess.
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done very well with Rodgers, and even Alex Smith.
Smith might've taken some time to get up to speed, but Reid would've ensured a far better start to his career than what he saw in SF. Smith IMO was a franchise QB physically, just needed the proper environment and possibly a redshirt season. Drafted ahead of his time with the mobility too.
Rodgers would've worked out very well too, but I do think him spending time as Favre's backup building up his game and modifying his throwing motion can't be ignored from the perspective of whether he was always destined to be an all time great.
Probably.
Smith iirc didn't have very large hands and not the strongest of arms - which is why I called him limited. You'd remember better than I though, and would have more first-hand experience watching his game/development.
I also wonder how much the perceived "snub" Rodgers had played into his development. I agree that sitting behind Favre for years likely helped him quite a bit. What would have been had he been selected #1 overall in SF? Would he have been such a superstar, or did he need the extra motivation from dropping out of the top twenty?
Smith had a very good deep ball and even better mobility than the Harbaugh/Chief/Redskin years. His shoulder was injured in Seattle and was rushed back from surgery and had to redo it.
As for Rodgers, I tell people all the time, the Niners definitely would have had a franchise QB, possibly a hall of famer, however Lombardis were never a guarantee.
Smith managed to put together 6-8 game winning seasons pre Harbaugh. If Rodgers added 2-3 wins, then the Niner draft stock worsened. Those super stacked Niner teams I'm not sure would've ever arrived. Certainly imagine the coaching trajectory changes too.
I think Rodgers' had a swagger that would've made him a good QB no matter where he went. Falling in the draft definitely motivated him, but there's been the story that supposedly Mike Nolan didn't want to draft Rodgers because he felt he would be too much to handle! Meanwhile he saw Smith open the car door for his mom and he definitely saw him in a more favorable light in this regard, lol.
Hard to say how much of that is true, but the Rodgers ego being a turn off I could believe. In retrospect I'm sure Nolan wishes he chose differently.
Another thing was that Mike McCarthy was the Niners that offseason leading up to the draft. Supposedly he pushed for Smith at #1. Now, did he too see things differently or did he maybe conspire to keep Rodgers potentially available on another NFL team thinking he might be coach the year after?
Haha, a bit of a stretch, but that makes two coaches that seemed in lockstep for Smith over Rodgers. Goes to show how much personality plays a role in picking a franchise QB.
It is definitely possible. I do remember the big knock on him coming out of Cal was that the college QBs that played for Jeff Tedford did not have successful NFL careers (Akili Smith, Joey Harrington, Kyle Boller, etc.)
I also vaguely remember Mel Kiper saying his mechanics were too robotic.
I think if he had the right system, Campbell could have been a really solid QB in the NFL.
Smith had a very good deep ball and even better mobility than the Harbaugh/Chief/Redskin years. His shoulder was injured in Seattle and was rushed back from surgery and had to redo it.
As for Rodgers, I tell people all the time, the Niners definitely would have had a franchise QB, possibly a hall of famer, however Lombardis were never a guarantee.
Smith managed to put together 6-8 game winning seasons pre Harbaugh. If Rodgers added 2-3 wins, then the Niner draft stock worsened. Those super stacked Niner teams I'm not sure would've ever arrived. Certainly imagine the coaching trajectory changes too.
I think Rodgers' had a swagger that would've made him a good QB no matter where he went. Falling in the draft definitely motivated him, but there's been the story that supposedly Mike Nolan didn't want to draft Rodgers because he felt he would be too much to handle! Meanwhile he saw Smith open the car door for his mom and he definitely saw him in a more favorable light in this regard, lol.
Hard to say how much of that is true, but the Rodgers ego being a turn off I could believe. In retrospect I'm sure Nolan wishes he chose differently.
Another thing was that Mike McCarthy was the Niners that offseason leading up to the draft. Supposedly he pushed for Smith at #1. Now, did he too see things differently or did he maybe conspire to keep Rodgers potentially available on another NFL team thinking he might be coach the year after?
Haha, a bit of a stretch, but that makes two coaches that seemed in lockstep for Smith over Rodgers. Goes to show how much personality plays a role in picking a franchise QB.
Thanks - you are a good poster and I appreciate reading your insights.
Thanks - good memories
Then ELI morphed into a playoff legend and all things were set right again
Maybe they didn’t draft Rodgers because they thought they had a talented 28 year old QB at the time of the 2005 draft?