5 Post-Draft Questions Remaining in the NFL
Although the NFL Draft usually clears up most of the important remaining headlines, there are still some questions that need to be answered. From the Aaron Rodgers news to…Tim Tebow (???), there is still plenty to digest. Here are five questions I still have after the draft.
What Does the Future Hold for Aaron Rodgers?
Even the league’s reigning MVP isn’t sure where he’ll be playing football next year.
Bombshell reports came out right before the draft stating that Packers QB Aaron Rodgers was no longer interested in continuing his tenure with the club. Frustration with the front office was cited as the disgruntled signal caller’s main issue. If a move actually takes place, it would completely change the NFL as we know it. Although 37, Rodgers is coming off arguably the best season of his career, and recent history shows that age is not dooming quarterbacks like it used to. We just saw a 43-year-old Tom Brady guide a new team to a Super Bowl victory a few months ago, and at this point in their careers, A-Rod is easily the better player. Possible destinations that were mentioned include the Giants, 49ers, and Broncos, AKA three teams that many consider a QB away from contending. Could we see the 3x MVP leave one powerhouse to form another?
Is Julio Officially Staying in ATL?
Lost in the Rodgers fiasco was an important rumor relating to one of the NFL’s most prolific receivers of all time. The rumor stated that Julio Jones, the receiver with the most receiving YPG ever, could be traded in June as the Falcons try to rebuild. That could’ve made sense if the Falcons went the typical rebuilding route and chose a QB (or defensive cornerstone) 4th overall, but instead, they went with Florida TE Kyle Pitts. With Matt Ryan locked in, Calvin Ridley on the rise, and now Pitts being chosen so high, it appears as if the Falcons are going to try and build an offensive powerhouse and get back to contending as soon as possible. Trading Julio would completely clash with that strategy.
It was probably unlikely for the ten-year vet to be moved anyway, but after that move, I would rule it out completely.
What’s Next for the Contenders Without QBs?
Teams such as the Denver Broncos, Washington FT, and the New York Giants have done a great job constructing their rosters… except for at the game’s most important position. Denver’s depth chart is made up of Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater, two lower-end quarterbacks. The Giants have noted turnover machine Daniel Jones, while Washington appears to be next on board the Fitzmagic train. All three of these squads have built deep, young teams, but nobody is mistaking them for playoff material with an asterisk at the QB spot. Does one of these teams make a run at Aaron Rodgers? Denver and NYG were both listed as possible destinations. Do they try to sneak by with what they have 2017 Jaguars style? Are they going to let another year go and make moves in next year’s draft? Having no quarterback is never a good situation, and with rosters, this close to breaking through, at least one of these teams needs to swing for the fences.
Can anyone in the NFC compete with TB?
After snagging their franchise’s second Lombardi, the Buccaneers were somehow able to return every single starter from 2020. That alone makes them the favorites in the NFC for ‘21, and is there really anyone ready to step up to the plate?
Green Bay could lose Aaron Rodgers, and if that occurs, they should be nowhere near a list of Super Bowl contenders. Following Drew Brees’ retirement, the Saints could easily be placed in the “Contenders Without QBs” category unless Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill pans out. The Seahawks continue to faceplant year after year and they haven’t done anything this offseason to suggest it won’t happen again. The NFC East is… the NFC East. The only team I can consider a serious threat to TB’s reign is the Los Angeles Rams. They had a top defense last year and the acquisition of Matthew Stafford gives them a potentially dangerous offense. Of course, we don’t know how that is actually going to work out, but the first few weeks of the season should quickly tell us if LA’s varsity team is ready to go back to the big game.
Tim Tebow?
A lot of craziness could still play out over the course of the offseason, but I’m not sure if there’s anything more wild than Tim Tebow returning to the NFL and as a tight end. He hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2012, he switched sports completely at one point and is now running it back at a different position. It’s fun to think about, but the reality is that Tebow will probably not even make the Jaguars roster. Regardless of how it plays out, the question still must be asked.
Tim Tebow?
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-By: Micah Jimoh