Most if not all of the top 30 storylines we’re following as the 2019 season approaches are posed as a question. For most of those questions, we don’t the answer. On storyline No. 6, we do.
The question is how will the Packers resolve the conflict between coach Matt LaFleur’s rigid offensive play-selection process and quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ admitted desire for freedom at the line of scrimmage? The answer is this: Rodgers will win.
He’ll win because he’s the face of the franchise, the most powerful and most highly-paid employee of a public corporation who won’t be punished or benched or traded or cut if he does whatever he wants, whenever he wants.
It’s that simple. And Rodgers is smart enough to realize it. So the question is whether the Packers will let Rodgers do whatever he wants to do, or whether he’ll just do it.
The best play for LaFleur and Rodgers will be to come up with a way for the first-year coach to save face, with LaFleur deciding that he’ll make an exception for Rodgers as to a system that results in two plays being called in the huddle and the quarterback deciding, based on a predetermined set of parameters, which one to call. LaFleur either can say that he has decided to let Rodgers call whatever play he wants to call at the line of scrimmage, or Rodgers can just do it. Which he will, regardless of whether the team lets him.
Really, what will the Packers do? Roll with DeShone Kizer?
Rodgers is the guy, he knows he’s the guy, and the sooner the coach lets Rodgers fully be the guy the sooner this issue will be settled, once and for all.