Green Bay Packers 2019 offseason review: Quarterback

A review of the Green Bay Packers quarterbacks at the start of the 2019 offseason.

As long as Aaron Rodgers is on the roster, the Green Bay Packers are set at the quarterback position. Any change will come at the backup spot.

But Rodgers didn’t play his best football often enough in 2018.

The Packers failed to reach the playoffs for the second year in a row, and Mike McCarthy was replaced by Matt LaFleur at head coach as a result.

Here’s our offseason review of the Packers’ quarterbacks:

Injuries hit Aaron Rodgers again

Injury cost Aaron Rodgers over half the season in 2017, and in Week 1 it looked like the nightmare scenario had hit the Green Bay Packers once again.

Down with a knee injury, may feared Rodgers’ season, and the Packers’ as a result, would be over before it had even begun.

Rodgers surprisingly returned to the game and led the Packers to one of the all-time great comebacks against the Chicago Bears, but it’s clear the two-time MVP wasn’t 100 percent for much of the season.

Rodgers dealt with a few injuries throughout the season. Along with the knee injury, Rodgers also had a groin injury late in the year and exited the season finale with a concussion.

Whether it was a result of the injuries, the play-calling, scheme, a lack of trust with his receivers, or simply Rodgers not playing well enough, he didn’t reach his MVP-best often enough.

A key for new head coach Matt LaFleur will not only be to bring fresh ideas and a creative offense to Green Bay, but also attempt to design an offense that limits the risk of injury to Rodgers, much like the Patriots have successfully done with Tom Brady in the later years of his career.

Will there be a change at the backup position?

DeShone Kizer didn’t see much regular season game action in 2018, but one has to wonder whether Matt LaFleur will want to make a change at the backup quarterback position.

Kizer filled in for an injured Rodgers twice, in both the season opener and the season finale.

Against Chicago he completed four of seven passes for no touchdowns and a pick-six. Against Detroit, Kizer completed 16 of 35 passes for 132 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. The Packers were shutout in a 31-0 loss at home to the Lions.

Will the Packers consider drafting a quarterback late to compete for the backup job or sign a free agent like Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Fitzpatrick or Teddy Bridgewater?