The Green Bay Packers are on the precipice of trading Aaron Rodgers but if/when they do, the team is going to need a reliable backup quarterback behind Jordan Love.
Love was a first-round pick in 2020 and impressed the coaching staff and the front office with the development he made in his third year, though the vast majority of those impressions came on the practice field. The 24-year-old was exceptional during the second half of a road game against the Philadelphia Eagles in November, the only meaningful minutes he played in 2022, but that’s hardly a significant sample size to project his future performance.
The fact is there are a lot of uncertainties surrounding Love, including his resilience to injury and how he will handle the pressure of replacing a four-time MVP under center in his first year as an NFL starter. If the Packers trade Rodgers to the New York Jets, the only other quarterback currently on the roster is Danny Etling, who has yet to take a snap in a regular season game as a professional.
All of the variables in the team’s QB equation point to the missing piece as a player with starting experience and a proven track record of performance leading a competitive franchise. Arguably the top available option fitting that criteria is Cooper Rush of the Dallas Cowboys.
Cooper Rush Perfect Fit For Packers as Backup QB to Jordan Love
Getty ImagesQuarterback Cooper Rush of the Dallas Cowboys attempts a pass during a game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on October 2, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated examined both current and future NFL quarterbacks available to the Packers, coming up with 11 names in free agency and the draft who are potential fits in Green Bay. Rush landed at the very top of that list.
“When Dak Prescott missed five games last season, the Cowboys went 4-1 with Rush running the show,” Huber wrote on March 8. “He completed 58.0 percent of his passes with five touchdowns and three interceptions. Really, he only played poorly in one game, with the three picks coming at Philadelphia.”
Rush will hit unrestricted free agency on March 15, at which point he …read more
Source:: Heavy.com