Grading on Salary-Cap Curve: Quarterbacks

In terms of cap dollars, Aaron Rodgers was the second-most expensive quarterback in the NFL.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Player grades have long been a staple of postseason analysis. Ours are different. So much of building a team is doing it within the constraints of the salary cap. Teams need their big-money players to come up big and some bargain players to outplay their contracts. Thus, our annual grades are done on a salary-cap curve.

QUARTERBACKS

Aaron Rodgers

Cap: $29.352 million (second at position)

Season: The Packers went from six wins to 13 this season, but it frequently had little to do with the play of their two-time MVP quarterback. In 2018, while playing through a knee injury and the carnage of Mike McCarthy’s last season, Rodgers finished 13th in passer rating (97.6), 26th in completion percentage (62.3) and 17th in yards per attempt (7.44). In 2019, the first season under Matt LaFleur, Rodgers finished 12th in passer rating (95,4), 21st in completion percentage (62.0) and 17th in yards per attempt (7.03).

At the end of the season, Rodgers was lauded by general manager Brian Gutekunst for his standard of play and leadership. Twelve months ago, many so-called insiders – many of whom had never met Rodgers and couldn’t find the locker room without taking a stadium tour – predicted doom and gloom regarding Rodgers and his young new coach. Would he run roughshod over his new coach? Would LaFleur’s desire to have a “partnership” with his quarterback lead to Rodgers seizing control over all things offense? How would he handle a renewed focus on the running game? As it turns out, all the outside calamity seems comical.

“I thought Aaron had a really, really good year, especially adapting to a completely new system,” Gutekunst said. “There were times he had to carry us, and I thought he did that. I think this was one of the years we had a team that didn’t always have to rely on that quite as much. I think he’s still playing at an elite level. There were some challenges we faced, not only him but some other guys on our team, where I was really proud how those guys faced those challenges. They really came together as a team, and that really takes your best players, your leaders, to do that. He obviously was a big, big part of that.”

For what it’s worth, there have been only two seasons of a quarterback throwing for 4,000-plus yards with 25-plus touchdowns and four-or-fewer interceptions in NFL history: Rodgers in 2018 and Rodgers in 2019.

Nonetheless, the Packers need better play from their quarterback. Is Rodgers’ declining performance a byproduct of the lack of skill-position talent beyond Davante Adams? The result of age and injury? The challenge of adapting to a new offense and a new way of doing things? A combination of all three? We should get that answer next year, because Gutekunst figures to take care of the surrounding talent this offseason. Assuming he finds some receivers who can get open with regularity, there will be no excuses.

Grade: C

Tim Boyle

Cap: $572,000 (73rd)

Season: Boyle replaced Rodgers at the end of the regular-season loss at San Francisco and completed 3-of-4 passes for 15 yards. He has just about everything you’re looking for in a quarterback, with a big arm, intelligence and a willingness to learn. Those ingredients don’t guarantee anything, of course, but they beat the alternative. For what it’s worth, he had an excellent preseason with 59.6 percent accuracy, six touchdowns, zero interceptions and a league-best 112.9 passer rating to beat out DeShone Kizer for a roster spot and the No. 2 gig.

Grade: Incomplete.