Packers Morning Buzz: Why Aaron Rodgers finds himself in unusual situation

Jim Owczarski and Olivia Reiner discuss Packers RB Aaron Jones’ potential to get more involved in the passing game in 2020. Packers News

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com.

We’ll start with NFL.com’s Ali Bhanpuri and Tom Blair placing Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers fourth on their list of the league’s 30 best players over age 30.

Aaron Rodgers (12) of the Green Bay Packers warms up prior to the start of the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 29, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan.

 (Photo: Leon Halip, Getty Images)

Blair writes:

4.  Aaron Rodgers

Green Bay Packers · QB · Age: 36

I really don’t want to accept the parallels between Rodgers and Brett Favre. For the Packers to draft Jordan Love as Rodgers’ presumed future replacement 15 years after they drafted Rodgers as Favre’s presumed future replacement is a contrived, hacky plot turn, too neat and too easy; the real world isn’t supposed to fit our tidy little narrative boxes. But then Rodgers himself suggested he’ll end up finishing his career elsewhere, which means it would actually be contrived of me to not accept those parallels. So, OK, let’s acknowledge that Rodgers is in a bit of a weird place as the second consecutive Hall of Fame-caliber QB marked by the Packers with a public sell-by date. And, yeah, he’s coming off what qualifies as a statistical down year for him, with first-year coach Matt LaFleur emphasizing the run game. But he still ranked in the top 15 in the league in passing yards, touchdowns and passer rating, while NGS credits him with the fifth-best passer rating on tight-window throws (among those with 50-plus such attempts) and the third-most deep touchdowns (10). He’s also carrying relatively few miles on his odometer, only having been a full-time starter for the past 12 seasons. The two-time MVP should continue to play at a high level for the Packers in 2020 — and for some team into his 40s.

You can read the entire list here of the top 30 players over 30:

What better way for Rodgers to put his stamp on these rankings by guiding the Packers to another Super Bowl title:

It’s hard to imagine, but Lambeau Field will be devoid of fans during the Packers’ first two home games:

Rick Wagner’s return to Wisconsin could work out well for the Packers’ offensive line:

Wagner discusses his decision to join the Packers:

Unlike players, NFL coaches had no opt-out options:

Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy said there were “maybe a little more” opt outs than he expected:

Um, the Packers did go 13-3 last season, right? Computers have short memories:

And finally: The Smith brothers are breaking up (they will be talking to the media separately on Friday afternoon:

Contact Stu Courtney at (920) 431-8377 or scourtney@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @stucourt