Steven Helmer Publications

Look, I'm not going to pretend it is even remotely likely to happen. However, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers still considering another season of football at the age of 42 there are reasons why a return to the Green Bay Packers would make sense for the former MVP passer. Timing is everything and, when the Packers decided to part ways with Rodgers following the 2022 season, the time was right. Rodgers was still playing at a high level, but Jordan Love was ready to take the reins and there was clear disconnect between the quarterback and the front office. Now, the timing is again right, with Love firmly entrenched as the starter but the team in need of a reliable backup quarterback after losing Malik Willis to free agency. It would be an arrangement that would benefit both sides. For the Packers, they would be getting a quarterback who, while no longer in his prime, has shown he can still play at a high enough level to win games. He is also familiar with Coach Matt LaFleur's offen...

Reports out of Green Bay today indicate veteran coach Luke Getsy, who served as a senior assistant last season, will be serving as the Packers' quarterbacks coach next year. While I've seen some criticize this decision, I think it is a sound choice by Head Coach Matt LaFleur. Yes, there is an argument for bringing in a new and hopefully innovative voice to help Jordan Love's progression from good to great while also developing a backup quarterback to replace sure-to-be-gone Malik Willis. However, in this case, I do think familiarity isn't necessarily a bad thing. My support for Getsy as QB coach has already been documented, when Tom Clements retired last January and I advocated for Getsy as his replacement.  Getsy's time as an offensive coordinator in Chicago and Las Vegas was a failure. However, his three years prior to that, when he was serving as quarterbacks coach in Green Bay arguably couldn't have been better. To recap, in the seasons with Getsy as his coa...

In what isn't much of a surprise, the New York Jets are going to be parting ways with former Green Bay Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers after two disappointing seasons. The narrative is now going to focus on his NFL future. Will he retire? Will another NFL franchise give him an opportunity despite some of the off-the-field baggage that comes with him? I, however, am going to throw one more conversation into that narrative - the United Football League. Before you ask, no I'm not drunk or on drugs and I didn't recently hit my head. I'll also be the first to admit the scenario I mentioned is the ultimate longshot, to the point I'm not sure Vegas would even put odds on it. However, as ridiculous as it sounds, this is something that potentially makes sense for both sides. I'll start with Rodgers. At 41, he is at best, a transitional quarterback for an NFL franchise. He has made plenty of money so it's unlikely he'll sign with a rebuilding team just fo...

Earlier this week, Green Bay Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur announced long-time assistant coach Tom Clements is retiring after serving as quarterbacks coach for Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love. Clements' history of success developing passers will leave a void on the roster. Fortunately for Green Bay, they may already have his replacement. After first being brought to Green Bay in 2006 under former coach Mike McCarthy, Clements only spent 3 years away from the team, from 2017 through 2021, which included time with the Arizona Cardinals and some years when he didn't coach at all The guy who filled three years of that gap was Getsy and he built a resume that justifies bringing him back. Currently a Packers' consultant after recently being fired by the Las Vegas Raiders, Getsy's attempts at being an offensive coordinator/play caller both with the Raiders and Chicago Bears were arguably a disappointment. However, it was his time as Packers' quarterback coach...

My thoughts from today's  Green Bay Packers ' 24-22 win over the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field. Welcome to Green Bay, Brandon McManus! I won't get into the controversy surrounding the Packers' new kicker because I'm smart enough to recognize I don't know everything there is to know about it and, in this country, someone is innocent until proven guilty. However, General Manager Brian Gutekunst's decision to try to fix the team's kicking inconsistency with a veteran who hadn't kicked in nearly a year could have backfired badly. So far, so good though. That game winning kick was huge. Hopefully it'll be one of many. Green Bay got the win but there's still a lot for the team to work on. There's no doubt the Packers have talented albeit young, players but you don't normally beat good teams when you turn the ball over three times and make numerous other game-changing mistakes. This game still had me comparing Jordan Love to Brett Favr...

 My thoughts from the Green Bay Packers' 19-17 loss to the Denver Broncos today. The offense is young, but at some point, that ceases to be an excuse and other explanations for the struggles on that side of the ball need to be considered. Matt LaFleur's offense tops that list. Is the Packers' head coach really an offensive genius? Or were Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams bailing him out in his first seasons? On that note, defensive coordinator Joe Barry gets a lot of grief from Packers' fans but other than the game against the Detroit Lions, the defense has kept the team in games. With the league rules giving advantages to the offense, that's really all you can ask for. Jordan Love needs to play better. It's his first year as a starter and it's not all on him. However, back-to-back late game interceptions aren't exactly something that makes it easy to have faith in him. In this game, Romeo Doubs looked wide open with the first down when Love forced the ...

Now that quarterback Aaron Rodgers has officially been traded to the New York Jets, a new era is starting in Green Bay. For some, the change at quarterback is signaling a rebuild year in 2023. I am not one of the people who believes that. I'm not saying the team won't have its struggles but there are three big reasons why the Packers aren't starting over from scratch even without their former 4-time MVP. First, Jordan Love isn't a rookie. While he may not have played much since the Packers drafted him in 2023, fans shouldn't dismiss the experience he has gained in practices. This includes practicing with the starters throughout much of the regular season last year because of Rodgers' thumb injury. This isn't unlike Rodgers, who sat behind Brett Favre for three years before getting his chance. Rodgers only played in 7 games during his first three seasons, attempting 59 passes. Love has played in 10 games and has attempted 83 passes. And unlike Rodgers when Fa...

It's now been more than a week since Aaron Rodgers ended his silence and announced his intention to return for another NFL season and play for the New York Jets. However, while the quarterback's desire is clear, the two teams have yet to reach a trade agreement. There have been multiple rumors about why, ranging from the Jets not wanting to part with the 13th overall pick in this year's draft to disagreements about how much of Rodgers' contract the Packers should absorb. However, a third one, the timing of the trade, might be a good reason for the delay as well. At first glance, it might seem like the best path forward for the Packers is to part ways with their disgruntled player as soon as possible (and I'm still one of the fans who would rather see this not become any more of a distraction than it already has). However, the salary cap implications can't be overlooked. The contract Rodgers signed just last year guarantees him nearly $60 million and a trade woul...

Now that the cat is officially out of the bag and Aaron Rodgers has confirmed the poorly kept secret about him wanting to play for the New York Jets in 2023, the ball is in the Green Bay Packers court to get that deal done. However, there are some reports that claim the Packers are asking for more compensation than the Jets are willing to pay. If that's true, then the Packers should do the former face of their franchise justice by lowering that asking price. I'm not saying the Packers don't have a lot of leverage with this. They have Rodgers under contract through 2024 and the Jets lack of secrecy about their desire to have him as their QB1 this fall, combined with the possible free agent alternatives already being signed by other teams puts Green Bay in the catbird seat, especially since they have until the start of the season to trade him and avoid paying him a significant bonus. What I am saying is, even though the Packers do have that leverage, they should just agree to...

If Green Bay Packers' President Mark Murphy's comments are an accurate depiction of the team's mindset, Green Bay is ready to start Jordan Love in 2023. However, they still have one problem, Aaron Rodgers is still on the roster. The most likely scenario at this stage is Rodgers either choses to retire or will agree to be traded to the New York Jets, a team that has been given permission to speak to him and seems to be pulling out all the stops to have him come east. But with Rodgers remaining quiet about where he is in his thought process, there is a lot of uncertainty regarding both of those possibilities. And if he decides he doesn't want to retire but also doesn't want to play for the Jets (or they find another option before he makes his decision), Rodgers could remain a Packer one more year. If Green Bay truly wanted to move on, they would normally have the option to just cut Rodgers and give him an opportunity to sign with another team. This would seem like a n...

With Aaron Rodgers' future still undecided and Green Bay Packers' general manager Brian Gutenkunst reporting he has not had any conversations with the face of the franchise, the Packers seem to be heading into 2023 with a potential quarterback controversy. Adding to this were Gutenkunst's comments about 2020 first round draft pick Jordan Love, and how he thought the quarterback was ready to play. Given Rodgers' contract situation, it makes me wonder if Green Bay isn't completely sold on the younger passer, despite those public comments. The Love pick was controversial three years ago, especially with Rodgers under contract and still playing at a high level. The decision to draft a quarterback seemed to mirror the decision to draft Rodgers when the team still had Brett Favre. However, unlike Rodgers, who unexpectedly fell to the Packers, the team traded up to get Love. Despite Gutekunst's recent claim, everything the team has done since drafting him seems to indi...

The NFL is a business. That's something NFL general managers and coaches remind us of whenever they decide to part ways with a popular player to save some money. Yet, when the shoe is on the other foot, fans can sometimes get a little upset when a player doesn't take a "hometown discount" to stick around. Plus, the media can sometimes be a little bit cruel too. This is especially true of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Ever since announcing plans to go on a "darkness retreat" to decide his future plans, Rodgers has been the subject of everything from jokes at his expense to media criticism about him holding the team hostage and putting himself ahead of his team. That is simply not fair. Does Rodgers' indecision hurt the Packers? Yes. Until he makes a decision that lets them know he plans to retire or gives them permission to trade him, they are on the hook for the $50 million in guaranteed money he is owed in 2023. This means they need to pl...

  There is an old adage that hints it is better to get rid of a player too early than too late. As the Packers sit at home this post season for the first time in four years, that philosophy should apply to Aaron Rodgers. I'm not going to lie; I thought Rodgers and the Packers would make me eat crow when I predicted they wouldn't make the playoffs. That was quite a run they had, right up until the point the Detroit Lions eliminated them. And that last-second push might result in many believing it is worth bringing Rodgers back for another year. I'm not one of those people who believe that. Look, it's never easy parting ways with a star player, especially a hall-of-famer at the most important position in football. There are also no guarantees Jordan Love will be able to fill Rodgers' shoes or won't be a draft bust. But if you're going to make a change, now is the time to do it. For one, while I'm sure there are unmeasurable factors that also played a role,...

  Everyone loves a backup but while some (including me) have clamored to see Jordan Love replace long-time and injured starter Aaron Rogers this season, arguing the team is wasting their former first round pick by leaving him on the bench, it is time to reflect on what transpired this season and be thankful for Rodgers' return. I'm not saying there wasn't a legitimate argument for trading Rodgers during the last offseason, both to take advantage of his 2021 MVP run and get generous compensation and to save money under the salary cap. And with the Packers being, at best, a long shot to even get into the playoffs as the 7th seed, it is easy to use this likely lost season as evidence of that argument. From a big picture standpoint, however, Rodgers' return, even if it just ends up being for this season, will ultimately benefit Love. There are a couple things that really stand out for me about this past offseason. One of the big ones was the loss of Davante Adams and Marque...

  When I saw Aaron Rodgers exit the game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday with a rib injury I, like a lot of fans, assumed the Jordan Love era was about to begin in Green Bay, even if it was just for the remainder of the season. I was majorly surprised when Rodgers announced he intended to start this weekend's game against the Chicago Bears and Coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that was the plan. While I still think it's a bad idea and Green Bay should force the face of the franchise to sit one out and get healthy over next weeks' bye week, from both the ribs and a thumb injury, I have to admit Rodgers' desire to play is inspiring. There are plenty of NFL players who make "business decisions" regarding their bodies, whether it's not throwing themselves into a scrum of players or not putting up a fight when the team doctor tells them they need to take a week or two off. Rodgers is not only doing the exact opposite, but he is also choosing to do it when ...

  At this point, it is no secret Green Bay Packers' quarterback, Aaron Rodgers has been playing with an injured thumb for the past several weeks. He even admitted the thumb was broken a few days ago. While some (especially me) have questioned the decision to keep him in as the starter despite the injury, the Packers chose to let him play instead of giving backup quarterback Jordan Love the nod and let Rodgers heal. Last night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles proved that was a mistake. For those who didn't see it, Love entered the game in the second half after Rodgers went to the locker room with a rib injury. The Packers still came up short because of defensive woes that haunted them all night, but Love led the team to two scores (a touchdown and field goal) before the Eagles ran out the clock. Love wasn't perfect and made a couple mistakes, including trying to get the ball to Christian Watson instead of a wide-open Allen Lazard. However, there was also no signifi...

  Let me start out by making something clear - I don't blame Aaron Rodgers for the Packers' 3-5 start and four game losing streak. Title Town USA has a lot of problems - lack of talent/experience at wide receiver, injuries and a defense that (STILL) can't seem to stop the run. These things have also contributed to an offense that has become both stagnant and predictable. However, while the 4-time league MVP isn't part of the problem (at least when he's healthy), that doesn't necessarily mean he's the solution either. There's still a lot of football left to be played and it's hard to say the Packers should give up on their season when there are still nine games left in the season. However, there are just too many reasons to believe the team isn't going to be able to turn this around in time to make any real impact. Ultimately, Green Bay has three options. They can hope something clicks with a player or players on their current roster and that'...

I must admit, I was a little shocked when I learned the Green Bay Packers fired Mike McCarthy just a couple hours after losing to the Arizona Cardinals yesterday (and announced the move just a few minutes after I published my post defending him ). The move itself wasn't too much of a surprise. I just thought they would wait until the end of the season before moving on from him. As I absorb that and reflect back on McCarthy's 13-year career in Green Bay, I also am realizing his sudden decline and ultimate downfall might have started at the beginning of 2017, when his assistant coach, Tom Clements, left the team. When you look at McCarthy's early success, Clements was the one constant. He was the quarterbacks coach for a soon-to-be-departing Brett Favre and an up-and-coming Aaron Rodgers and later served as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. During his time with the team, Rodgers won league MVP twice and one Super Bowl MVP title. Just as important was the p...

Just a few thoughts after last night's exciting but exhausting game. 1. I don't think you will ever hush those who criticize the Packers for not landing Khalil Mack. But, last night's game and Aaron Rodgers' heroic performance showed an elite quarterback will ALWAYS trump an elite pass rusher. 2. I know I only got to see him for about a quarter, but I'm still not convinced Deshone Kizer was really an improvement over Brett Hundley. If there's going to be that much of a talent difference between Rodgers and the #2 guy, then maybe Green Bay should just promote Tim Boyle to #2 and free up a roster spot. 3. I do have some serious concerns about the Packers' offensive line. Bryan Bulaga seemed kind of slow on his feet and unsure at times so I'm wondering if maybe he came back from his injury too early. If the Bears gave them this much of a problem in this game, the Vikings are going to be trouble next week, especially if Rodgers is still hobbled. 4...

Now that the backup quarterback situation (at least on paper) has been settled with Brett Hundley being traded to the Seattle Seahawks, I am going to attempt to predict what the Green Bay Packers final roster will look like after they make their cuts following their final preseason game tomorrow night. Please note, I am just listing the players at random. I am making no attempt to predict the opening day depth chart. I am also not going to attempt to predict what this roster will look like after week 1. Quarterbacks - Aaron Rodgers Deshone Kizer Tim Boyle Running Backs - Aaron Jones Jamal Williams Ty Montgomery Bronson Hill Fullbacks Aaron Ripkowski Tight ends Jimmy Graham Marcedes Lewis Robert Tonyan Lance Kendricks Wide Receivers Randall Cobb Davante Adams Geronimo Allison Trevor Davis Jake Kumerow Marques Valdes-Scantling J'mon Moore Equanimeous St. Brown Offensive Line David Bakhtiari Lane Taylor Corey Linsley Justin McCray Bryan Bulaga K...