Greg Jennings: You’re about to see his career disappear

The NFL will never have the honor and privilege to watch Aaron Rodgers throw to Greg Jennings.

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings signed with the Minnesota Vikings late Friday night, sending fans of the Purple People Eaters into celebration and the Packers’ faithful to anger, disappointment and shock.

What was Jennings thinking when he said the Vikings “stepped up to the plate?”

Translation = Money.

Yes, he signed for lots of money – lots and lots of money, but he forgot one thing as he was putting pen to paper – success on the field.

Christian Ponder will be throwing next season to former Packer Greg Jennings. How successful he will be is up for debate.

Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

He left that in Green Bay and he will never find it again, especially in Minnesota. Unless the Vikings go out and draft Joe Montana, Jennings will never again experience what he did in Green Bay with his battery mate, Aaron Rodgers. With Christian Ponder, Jennings will be lucky to total 500 yards – oh, he’ll have a few high points, will score some touchdowns for the Vikings, but what he also forgot while signing that piece of paper was that Ponder hands off to Adrian Peterson 350 times per season, which means the ball will be coming his way that many fewer times.

Consider this: The Vikings passing offense under Christian Ponder the past two seasons has averaged around 2,800 yards per season. In 2011, the Vikings ranked 28th. They improved to 20th in 2012. Will Jennings bring enough to the team to improve that ranking? Not unless Adrian Peterson can throw the ball or until that Joe Montana shows up on the Vikings’ sideline.

With Rodgers throwing to him, Jennings accounted for 1,300 yards by himself in the past two years and that’s while missing three games in 2011 and eight in 2012.

Mike Freeman, National NFL Insider for CBSsports.com, said it best today when he wrote about the move by Jennings:

"“… it’s all but certain that Jennings’ career will die a slow death. Jennings went from Aaron Rodgers to Christian Ponder. I like Ponder more than most (OK, I’m the only one who likes him) but even as a Ponder backer, he’s not in the same galaxy as Aaron Rodgers. So Jennings made the classic decision. He got his money but his career is all down hill from here.“The Packers will continue to fight for Super Bowls and Jennings will disappear like he’s wearing a cloaking device.”"

Larry Fitzgerald’s career has taken a marked downturn since Kurt Warner retired. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Freeman goes on to compare Jennings’ future to that Cardinals’ wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has experienced – and he’s right. Fitzgerald was all-world when Kurt Warner was throwing to him. When Warner retired, he disappeared. The same will happen to Jennings, I’m afraid.

So, good luck with your future, Mr. Jennings. It’s been nice seeing you succeed in Green Bay. It will be disappointing watching your career unravel in Minnesota.

 Here are Jennings’ career statistics in Green Bay …

2011 Minnesota Vikings passing offense

2012 Minnesota Vikings passing offense