Packers strategy that maddened Aaron Rodgers actually favoring Green Bay

The Green Bay Packers' 2023 campaign was unequivocally a success. It took a few weeks for Jordan Love to find his footing, but once he did, the 25-year-old occupied the shortlist of best quarterbacks in football. Green Bay's offense came to life in ways few expected sans Aaron Rodgers. It was supposed to be a slow burn — a season of small victories and marginal progress.

Nope. The Packers won a postseason game, over the No. 2 seed Dallas Cowboys no less, and almost knocked off the top seed in the second round. Green Bay needs to figure out Love's next contract and chart a viable course forward, but this is an upstart team with notable spunk and undeniable star-power.

Rodgers' New York Jets were out of the playoffs last winter. Now, obviously the 40-year-old gunslinger got hurt. It's hard to mount any sort of competitive push with Zach Wilson under center. All the same, New York was far from flawless. Injuries piled up, and the offense ranked second-worst in the NFL in total yards per game, trailing only the two-win Carolina Panthers.

Is that all because Aaron Rodgers was patrolling the sideline in a boot?

The Jets hope so. But, as we compare team trajectories, it's hard not to think back to why Rodgers forced his way out of Green Bay in the first place. His disagreed with the team-building vision, including the Packers' unwillingness to add established wideouts. Green Bay whiffed on vets in free agency and trades, then never used a first-round NFL Draft pick on the position. Eventually, Rodgers went to New York, where the Jets are equipped with 2022 first-round pick Garrett Wilson.

Meanwhile, the Packers' WR room — perceived at the beginning of last season as woefully inexperienced and ill-equipped for the rigors of NFL offense — looks quite sufficient right about now. ESPN's Bill Barnwell points out a single, eye-popping stat that could instill a feeling of regret in Rodgers.

"Over the past decade, 21 wideouts have averaged more than 2.0 yards per route run in their debut campaign, and the vast majority have had impressive careers so far. Green Bay has three on its roster: [Dontayvion] Wicks, [Christian] Watson and Jayden Reed."

Stat proves Packers' team-building strategy was right all along

Now, was the Packers' WR room flawless all of last season? Of course not. Christian Watson in particular endured some rough stretches. But, on the flip side, Romeo Doubs isn't even included in Barnwell's statistical anecdote. He was arguably the most impressive of Green Bay's young wideouts. There is real talent at the position.

While the Jets' passing attack floundered near the bottom of the NFL, Green Bay finished the season 12th in passing yards per game in Love's first season as full-time starter. The Jets' numbers should perk up considerably with Rodgers at the commands, but he left the Packers because he didn't believe Green Bay had the tools to compete. With Love bound to take another leap in his second campaign, there's a real chance the Packers end up out-gaining New York through the air this season. Even if Rodgers put 17 games under his belt.

It took a concentrated second-half push for the Packers to finish last season above .500, but the playoffs were proof of how quickly Green Bay has ascended the competitive ladder. The Packers need to follow it up well — we've seen flashes in the pan before — but there's every reason to believe Love is a bonafide star, and his wideout corps is more than capable of producing at a high level.

Green Bay would still benefit from an established veteran at the position, but as the young core evolves and grows together, the Packers have a chance to make noise in the NFC North. If the Jets can't keep pace this season, Rodgers will need to do some soul-searching in his next annual darkness retreat.