Where would the 49ers be if they had drafted Aaron Rodgers?

[Fumbleweed 426]

...instead of Alex Smith.

 

Just got me thinking. The 49ers can run the ball well and they have a good defense. If they had taken Rodgers over Smith, would they be a perennial playoff team the past few years....?

 

I would think 'yes'...

[Mackgee 0]

I say no because that receiving corps has been average at best since A.Smith was drafted, and Vernon just recently pulled his head out of his arse. I say maybe a few wins better, but not much. The knock on Rodgers was that he could not make the long accurate throws coming out of college. In California he was only throwing short precise passes, etc. That why he fell in the draft so far. My question would be, would the Cardinals had won the Super Bowl last year if they had drafted ADP instead of Levi Brown?

[FeelingMN 273]

I say no because that receiving corps has been average at best since A.Smith was drafted, and Vernon just recently pulled his head out of his arse. I say maybe a few wins better, but not much. The knock on Rodgers was that he could not make the long accurate throws coming out of college. In California he was only throwing short precise passes, etc. That why he fell in the draft so far. My question would be, would the Cardinals had won the Super Bowl last year if they had drafted ADP instead of Levi Brown?

 

Yeah, QBs are made by their receivers and vice versa. The two compliment each other. Rodgers is a stud, but it helps having the receiving corps he has. You also can't discount the years he had sitting on the bench, learning the pro game at his own pace. If SF would have drafted him, he'd have been thrown in year 1.....and maybe he would have responded well, maybe not.

[cyclone24 1,814]

What if you didnt draft Frank Gore and got someone like JJ Arrington, Eric Shelton or Ryan Moats instead??

 

Those 3 were all drafted around Gore in the third round.

 

 

You cant play the what-if game.

[Sho Nuff 719]

Yeah, QBs are made by their receivers and vice versa. The two compliment each other. Rodgers is a stud, but it helps having the receiving corps he has. You also can't discount the years he had sitting on the bench, learning the pro game at his own pace. If SF would have drafted him, he'd have been thrown in year 1.....and maybe he would have responded well, maybe not.

 

You see...I can agree with you.

Well said.

[Fumbleweed 426]

What if you didnt draft Frank Gore and got someone like JJ Arrington, Eric Shelton or Ryan Moats instead??

 

Those 3 were all drafted around Gore in the third round.

You cant play the what-if game.

 

You can, actually...but like you said, there are plenty of moving parts to consider...not just one player.

[cyclone24 1,814]

You can, actually...but like you said, there are plenty of moving parts to consider...not just one player.

 

 

Oh you can....but just figure on every guy you missed...you guessed right on as well.

 

IMO.....the distance between Frank Gore and Ryan Grant is much farther than Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is clearly better...but Smith started coming into his own toward the end of the season.

[Vikings4ever 496]

The 9ers would have thrown Rodgers in before he was ready, and stunted his development.

 

Alex Smith would have been sitting and learning behind Favre for 3 years, and we may have been talking about what if the 9ers had drafted Alex Smith instead.

[Foghorn Leghorn 0]

...instead of Alex Smith.

 

Just got me thinking. The 49ers can run the ball well and they have a good defense. If they had taken Rodgers over Smith, would they be a perennial playoff team the past few years....?

 

I would think 'yes'...

 

I would argue "no", for two reasons:

 

1) The offensive line the last few years has been....well....offensive. Their run blocking has been OK but the pass protection has been, for the most part, non-existent. Given Rodgers' propensity to hang on to the ball too long, it wouldn't have been a match made in heaven.

2) The carousel of offensive coordinators the last few years. Smith had four different coordinators the first four years....which means four different playbooks to learn. I'm not saying Smith's blameless in this but, if I had to guess, I'd bet money that Rodgers would have encountered much difficulty with four OCs in four years as well.

 

[Gepetto 985]

The 49ers with Aaron Rodgers would be much better in my opinion.

 

Would Favre still be a Packer?

[Saint Elistan 106]

I'm with Mr. Leghorn. It's been a series of unfortunate events in San Francisco. The good news? Alex Smith is still only 25 years old.

[kmbryant09 1]

Oh you can....but just figure on every guy you missed...you guessed right on as well.

 

IMO.....the distance between Frank Gore and Ryan Grant is much farther than Alex Smith and Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is clearly better...but Smith started coming into his own toward the end of the season.

I disagree - I know Gore is an overall more talented back, but he's been somewhat injured in his NFL career. Ryan Grant is not spectacular, he's not as good as Gore. But he'll give you 1,200 yards and 6-10 scores every year. He's even done that on a pass-first, weak OLine-d team. I think there's a HUGE disparity between Smith and Rodgers. Especially when you consider how important the QB position is. Even with Smith emerging from the massive bust list, he's still middle-of-the-road type QB. Aaron Rodgers is cementing himself with some of the great QB's in the league, and he's still somewhat young.

 

If I was STARTING a franchise today and had to pick a QB, Rodgers may be the guy, definitely top 3.

[jgcrawfish 232]

I disagree - I know Gore is an overall more talented back, but he's been somewhat injured in his NFL career. Ryan Grant is not spectacular, he's not as good as Gore. But he'll give you 1,200 yards and 6-10 scores every year. He's even done that on a pass-first, weak OLine-d team. I think there's a HUGE disparity between Smith and Rodgers. Especially when you consider how important the QB position is. Even with Smith emerging from the massive bust list, he's still middle-of-the-road type QB. Aaron Rodgers is cementing himself with some of the great QB's in the league, and he's still somewhat young.

 

If I was STARTING a franchise today and had to pick a QB, Rodgers may be the guy, definitely top 3.

 

i like you more each passing day, despite the screen name that will endlessly remind me of the hated Lakers

[goat 0]

just cant underestimate the kind of things that rodgers learned in green bay while favre was there. work ethic, film study, how to practice, how to train, what to look for. Not like favre hated the kid. and favre is type of dude who likes to teach the younger guys.

 

that said. alex smith just had a pretty decent comeback for someone who was left for bench fodder not more then a season ago. if he can hold down his job over offseason and have a full camp with VD and crabtree. maybe they get some oline help. and maybe another receiver to play slot in like 3rd or 4th round? i think that can be a dangerous offense. and smith could have a big yr. especially with the way they ignore gore in redzone. lol.

 

its easy to say youd start a franchise with a guy after 2 seasons like rodgers just had. question is of the young unproven guys who would you choose to rebuild your franchise? bottom line if any of us were that good at calling those shots, wed be millionares in the front office of a franchise.

 

just my 2

[Me_2006 14]

San Francisco.

[kmbryant09 1]

i like you more each passing day, despite the screen name that will endlessly remind me of the hated Lakers

Put your mind to ease...my name is about the University that I attended (Bryant University), not KOBE Bryant.

 

In fact, I hate the lakers

[Proteus71 0]

just cant underestimate the kind of things that rodgers learned in green bay while favre was there. work ethic, film study, how to practice, how to train, what to look for. Not like favre hated the kid. and favre is type of dude who likes to teach the younger guys.

 

I really hope you are being sarcastic.

[PATSSOX 22]

The 9ers would have thrown Rodgers in before he was ready, and stunted his development.

 

Alex Smith would have been sitting and learning behind Favre for 3 years, and we may have been talking about what if the 9ers had drafted Alex Smith instead.

 

yup

 

Maybe Alex Smith would now be the stud and Rodgers would be the #1 pick bust

[Fumbleweed 426]

yup

 

Maybe Alex Smith would now be the stud and Rodgers would be the #1 pick bust

 

I just don't see it quite like this. Rodgers is too talented to have been a "bust" anywhere.

[PATSSOX 22]

I just don't see it quite like this. Rodgers is too talented to have been a "bust" anywhere.

 

who knows how he would have responded if thrown to fire like Alex Smith was Talent evaluators probably thought the same about Smith or they would not have drafted him #1. People respond to failure differently and Rodgers has not had bad teams like Smith has around him.

[jgcrawfish 232]

I'm pretty sure that regardless of who they drafted, the 49ers would more than likely still be in San Francisco. Otherwise they wouldn't be the "San Francisco 49ers"...

[Phurfur 70]

...instead of Alex Smith.

 

Just got me thinking. The 49ers can run the ball well and they have a good defense. If they had taken Rodgers over Smith, would they be a perennial playoff team the past few years....?

I would think 'yes'...

 

 

No!

[cyclone24 1,814]

I disagree - I know Gore is an overall more talented back, but he's been somewhat injured in his NFL career. Ryan Grant is not spectacular, he's not as good as Gore. But he'll give you 1,200 yards and 6-10 scores every year. He's even done that on a pass-first, weak OLine-d team. I think there's a HUGE disparity between Smith and Rodgers. Especially when you consider how important the QB position is. Even with Smith emerging from the massive bust list, he's still middle-of-the-road type QB. Aaron Rodgers is cementing himself with some of the great QB's in the league, and he's still somewhat young.

 

If I was STARTING a franchise today and had to pick a QB, Rodgers may be the guy, definitely top 3.

 

 

Oh im not disagreeing that Rodgers is much better. BUt i think San Fran started clicking at the end of last year....and i think Smith will have a breakout year next year....but i understand people not agreeing with that.

 

I agree on Gore....but hes just much better and i actually like grant.

[mambokings 0]

Although I think Rodgers is a superior talent, he obviously benefited greatly from sitting on the bench and learning the system from the ground up, behind Favre, a la Steve Young behind Joe Montana. When Rodgers # was finally called, he'd been in the system for years and came in ready to play (for a good offensive system, I might add, on a team with a good supporting cast). The 49ers, by contrast, had been a joke, with a raw Alex Smith thrown to the wolves on a bad team going nowhere. It's hard to know how good he might have been with a proper NFL development and a little support. It's a common theme for so many NFL quarterbacks, especially those of the high draft pick variety.

[BMoney 0]

1 game into the playoffs if the niners schedule was easy enough....

 

only to have it begin with a bad pick....

 

badly overthrown balls in the middle...

 

and an overthrow and crazy kick fumble to end it....

 

just a guess....

 

the playmakers and system is much better in gb....thats all its been...that, and the 3rd easiest schedule....

 

lets see what next year brings....

[Saint Elistan 106]

1 game into the playoffs if the niners schedule was easy enough....

 

only to have it begin with a bad pick....

 

badly overthrown balls in the middle...

 

and an overthrow and crazy kick fumble to end it....

 

just a guess....

 

the playmakers and system is much better in gb....thats all its been...that, and the 3rd easiest schedule....

 

lets see what next year brings....

 

Nah, the 49ers defense actually knows how to beat Arizona. Woulda been 45-0.

[Fumbleweed 426]

1 game into the playoffs if the niners schedule was easy enough....

 

only to have it begin with a bad pick....

 

badly overthrown balls in the middle...

 

and an overthrow and crazy kick fumble to end it....

 

just a guess....

 

the playmakers and system is much better in gb....thats all its been...that, and the 3rd easiest schedule....

 

lets see what next year brings....

 

Not to mention all the incredible things Rodgers did vs. the Cardinals...you kind of skipped that part.

[Sho Nuff 719]

1 game into the playoffs if the niners schedule was easy enough....

 

only to have it begin with a bad pick....

 

badly overthrown balls in the middle...

 

and an overthrow and crazy kick fumble to end it....

 

just a guess....

 

the playmakers and system is much better in gb....thats all its been...that, and the 3rd easiest schedule....

 

lets see what next year brings....

 

BMoney...still hating on Rodgers...no surprise.

[Bruce_Leroy 0]

where would the niners be with rodgers. The 5th or 6th seed in the playoffs and one and done this year.

[Bruce_Leroy 0]

yup

 

Maybe Alex Smith would now be the stud and Rodgers would be the #1 pick bust

alex smith will never be a stud.

[Joey Gladstone 33]

I haven't read any of the other posts, but Im sure the Tedford pedigree played a part in him falling. Akili Smith and Kyle Boeller were AWFUL.

 

Smith looks like he might be able to turn things around (somewhat) but they made the wrong call. Though if Rodgers had to play right away for some of those atrocious Niner teams he might not be the player he is now.

[BMoney 0]

BMoney...still hating on Rodgers...no surprise.

 

 

sorry dude..it was put up or shut up time for aaron and what did he do?

 

it as a bookend of choke....but expectations have been lowered here and according to most, its acceptable now....

 

alex may never be a stud but aaron isnt right now either...beating soft teams and only soft teams doesnt make you one..

[Bruce_Leroy 0]

sorry dude..it was put up or shut up time for aaron and what did he do?

 

it as a bookend of choke....but expectations have been lowered here and according to most, its acceptable now....

 

alex may never be a stud but aaron isnt right now either...beating soft teams and only soft teams doesnt make you one..

it was a bookend of choke. The first play and last play said it all

[Fumbleweed 426]

sorry dude..it was put up or shut up time for aaron and what did he do?

 

it as a bookend of choke....but expectations have been lowered here and according to most, its acceptable now....

 

alex may never be a stud but aaron isnt right now either...beating soft teams and only soft teams doesnt make you one..

 

The Packers scored 45 points on Sunday...Rodgers accounted for five touchdowns.

 

I'd say he put up and then some. Any other notion is ridiculous. And, I'm no Packers fan.

[Sho Nuff 719]

sorry dude..it was put up or shut up time for aaron and what did he do?

 

it as a bookend of choke....but expectations have been lowered here and according to most, its acceptable now....

 

alex may never be a stud but aaron isnt right now either...beating soft teams and only soft teams doesnt make you one..

 

What did he do?

After a slow start he put up 45 points...including 35 in the 2nd half leading 5 drives for 5 TDs...completing passes on 4th down and tying the game with under 2 minutes left.

Expectations are lowered because we see that one man alone did not lose that game?

 

Soft teams?

Like Baltimore and Dallas? Those soft teams?

[Fumbleweed 426]

What did he do?

After a slow start he put up 45 points...including 35 in the 2nd half leading 5 drives for 5 TDs...completing passes on 4th down and tying the game with under 2 minutes left.

Expectations are lowered because we see that one man alone did not lose that game?

 

Soft teams?

Like Baltimore and Dallas? Those soft teams?

 

I think we have a fishing expedition taking place here. There is no argument against Rodgers' performance this past Sunday that holds any weight. He played a tremendous game.

[Sho Nuff 719]

I think we have a fishing expedition taking place here. There is no argument against Rodgers' performance this past Sunday that holds any weight. He played a tremendous game.

 

If it were others I might agree...but Bmoney has been on Rodgers since day one.

The Seahawks fan is still holding out his emotions for Brett and dislike of Ted Thompson.

 

There is plenty of argument though that can be made that Rodgers had some struggles and was a part of the reason they lost with the turnovers....but most also ignore the rest of what happened that game if they only blame Rodgers.

[Fumbleweed 426]

I don't think Rodgers struggled much. I do think the Packers defense struggled and they also struggled in the games vs. Minnesota this year. The Packers D looked awesome in a few games this year (Dallas comes to mind), but they also didn't play well in some big games like the aforementioned ones and the game this past Sunday.

 

No QB is perfect. Rodgers did everything you can ask for and then some in order for Green Bay to get a win.

[Sho Nuff 719]

I don't think Rodgers struggled much. I do think the Packers defense struggled and they also struggled in the games vs. Minnesota this year. The Packers D looked awesome in a few games this year (Dallas comes to mind), but they also didn't play well in some big games like the aforementioned ones and the game this past Sunday.

 

No QB is perfect. Rodgers did everything you can ask for and then some in order for Green Bay to get a win.

 

Well...I ask for my QB to throw it away or step out of bounds on the first play.

And hit Jennings when he is wide open on the first play of overtime.

But interesting that it was that close to him being a complete and total hero....that is how it goes though.

I just can't excuse him for the slow start (the Driver fumble was obviously not his fault)...but the INT was.

[e-factor 13]

I am amazed by some of this talk. Rodgers threw a pick. Wow, no other QB has ever done that? Saw Manning have several multiple INT playoff games. Brady, Montana, Elway too. Rodgers led his team to 45 friggin points with some amazing clutch throws and from what I saw on replays, Jennings broke off his pattern on the long pass in OT. The way Rodgers was throwing, hard to believe he would miss by that much. To lay this loss on Rodgers and call him a choker means you are a Rodgers hater or a troll or both. Guy played an amazing game........