Aaron Rodgers is trying to make the best of what he has. After several of his starting wide receivers went down with injuries, the Green Bay Packers quarterback is putting on his best Tom Brady impression and building chemistry with the younger players on the team. With Randall Cobb, Jermichael Finley and James Jones all out, Rodgers is pushing players like Jarrett Boykin to step up.
Rodgers and Boykin have been working overtime to build chemistry with one another. The second-year receiver is suddenly being pushed into the spotlight as depth is becoming an issue for the Packers. Besides Boykin, undrafted rookie Myles White is also seeing an added amount of playing time, but Rodgers is confident that with practice, everyone does their part.
"My favorite trait in a young receiver is the passion, because then you know you can work with a guy," said Rodgers, via the Journal Sentinel. "Young guys that really care and desperately want to get better. It's interesting how many guys can kind of pick that up. Some guys are like, 'I can run the route that's on the paper.' Well, there's paper football and there's real football. Make the jump from the player who can do what you're supposed to do to a player who can get open and make plays."
Rodgers uses Cobb as an example of a player that stepped up in times of need. Normally the Green Bay quarterback is sued to having experienced veterans to toss the ball to, but guys like Donald Driver and Greg Jennings are no longer with the team. Now Rodgers is acting like a mentor, building up the young players mid-way through the year. White says it is working.
"He doesn't give off that negative vibe of a perfectionist," said White. "He gives off the, it should be done the right way, every time. That's how he manages the offense. When you're in preseason or OTAs, he's in Week 8 mode. He's so ahead, you've just got to catch up. I want to be right there with him. My mental psyche of the game has improved from playing with Aaron."
Boykin is loving the leadership by his quarterback. The receiver notes that if he messes up in practice, he knows that before a coach can say something, Rodgers will speak up. That kind of mentality has created a lot of mutual respect as the receivers continue to learn the ways of the NFL sooner rather than later.
"I try and give grace," said Rodgers. "I remember how I would want to be treated and I try to do the same for these guys - erring on the side of holding them accountable, but realizing that what I am saying to them, would I appreciate the same kind of treatment when I was their age."
