Final Grades: Quarterbacks

[Mark Eckel]

By BOB McGINN

This is the fourth of a nine-part position-by-position series in which the 67 players on the Green Bay Packers’ 53-man roster and reserve/injured list at the end of the season are graded. Playing-time percentages are from offense and defense only.

QUARTERBACKS (3)

JOE CALLAHAN (0.7%): Mike McCarthy has a thing about Callahan. He surely played a role in signing him as an undrafted rookie from Wesley (Del.) College two years ago, placed him on the 53-man roster for 11 weeks last season and then nine weeks this season. Even when Callahan was less effective this summer than last summer, McCarthy made sure he was on the practice squad to start the season. Callahan has excellent eyes and a penchant for making something out of nothing. He’s also short (6-1) and slow (4.98), doesn’t have much arm talent and is maybe as good as he’s going to get. If a player isn’t good enough, what’s the sense in keeping him around? Grade: Incomplete.

BRETT HUNDLEY (59.4%): After not playing a meaningful snap in his first two seasons Hundley made nine starts and played 9 7/8 games. He won three of his nine starts and was 3-7 as the quarterback of record. He finished 30th in passer rating (70.6) after a sluggish exhibition season in which he also finished 30th (88.8). Hundley demonstrated a steady pattern of improvement until regressing in his last two starts. He played with remarkable poise, refused to fluster and at least attempted to execute the offense. He earned plaudits from coaches and teammates alike for his commitment, work habits, arm strength and leadership. He ran for 270 yards, both scrambling and on designed runs, 10th most among quarterbacks. On the other hand, he demonstrated a glaring lack of accuracy (60.8%), an inability to work through a two- and three-receiver progression and minimal presence in the pocket. He often bolted prematurely and then, time after time, drifted to his right and ended up tossing the ball out of bounds. He had too many interceptions (12), lost two fumbles and squandered an excessive number of timeouts. Despite criticism that at times was over the top he seemed to remain confident even though McCarthy did him few favors by not tailoring the offense to his strengths. He directed come-from-behind victories over Tampa Bay and Cleveland, feats that repeatedly eluded Aaron Rodgers in his first season as a starter (2008). His best performance probably came in the 31-28 defeat at Pittsburgh as a 14-point underdog. He was awful against the Vikings (twice), Saints, Ravens, and Lions. It’s entirely possible no team would want Hundley as No. 1. Given his wheels and new-found seasoning, many teams probably would like him as No. 2. Grade: C-minus.

AARON RODGERS (39.9%): Was off to a solid start and the Packers were 4-1 when he suffered a broken right collarbone on the eighth offensive snap of the sixth game of the year in Minnesota. The team’s fortunes dropped without him. On the legal hit by Anthony Barr, Rodgers simply misjudged the big linebacker’s blazing speed and held the ball a count too long. It wasn’t one of his frequent daredevil plays this season and in the past in which he almost invited hits and punishment. In his poorest game of the season, Rodgers held the ball so long (5.1 seconds) from his own end zone in the last minute of a blowout defeat in Atlanta that DE Adrian Clayborn had time to deliver a bone-jarring blow that was a much tougher hit than Barr’s. He dusted himself off after Clayborn but his luck ran out after Barr. At 34, and entering his 14th season, Rodgers holds the team’s fate in his hands every time he decides to take on unnecessary contact. His injury resume includes a torn ACL in high school, a fractured foot in 2006, two concussions in 2010, a broken collarbone in 2013, a pair of calf injuries in 2014 and arthroscopic knee surgery in January 2016. With the season on the line, Rodgers returned to start Game 14 in Carolina and was at fault on his three interceptions in a crushing defeat. Described as “sore,” the decision was made that he wouldn’t play in what became lopsided losses to the Vikings and Lions. Grade: B.

The post Final Grades: Quarterbacks appeared first on Bob McGinn Football.

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[Terranimal]

Coughing....He has been harsh with grades on some and then gives Bozo a C- and say other teams would want him as a #2?

Was he high or buzzed when writing this as it made no sense....

 

[Mark87]

Coughing....He has been harsh with grades on some and then gives Bozo a C- and say other teams would want him as a #2?

Was he high or buzzed when writing this as it made no sense....

In truth as bad as the QB pool he's still tradeable T. Would I want him as my backup ? No, but one man's garbage is another's treasure. Also Rodgers should get an INC for the yr. Didn't play enough to grade.

The interesting thing was the list of Rodgers injuries. AR will never need a weatherman in 10 yrs... because your body tells you the weather is changing 3 days before it does. (Experience talking on that note.)

 

[TW]

The interesting thing was the list of Rodgers injuries. AR will never need a weatherman in 10 yrs... because your body tells you the weather is changing 3 days before it does. (Experience talking on that note.)

I know the feeling. I've dealt with it for over 40 years. What a person puts themselves through to play football comes back and haunts you much later. I wanted to play 75+ softball down here in the Valley, but I can't, because of torn rotator cuffs (both), torn achielles tendon that wasn't repaired (played with it - taped, fortunately it didn't rupture), dislocated elbow, broken ribs, broken fingers, and a variety of other injuries. They all add up to "watch, don't play!"

On his rankings - I can't agree on Hundley. If a QB gets a C-, it means when he's at the helm, they should win 7 games. IF C is average, we're talking 8 games. So, let's assume 7-9. We ended up there. But, 4-1 for Rodgers leaves 3-8 for Hundley. That, to me, is a D. If you go by stats, he ends up a D, nothing higher.

We'll never know what Callahan can do. If we're lucky, we'll at least get someone in to replace Hundley, that can play enough that we'll be competitive. We could have been challenging the Bears for bottom of the heap with Hundley all year.

 

[UWSP 88]

I feeling like I am really missing the mark on BH. Now I did not get to see all the games due to where I live, but I saw enough where I saw a decent player, who will need a little more playing time in the pocket to read the defense, plus go through his route progression quicker. His o-line was changing around him the entire season, so he did not know where the hits where coming from in any game less any play. His receivers did him no favors by dropping passes that hit them in the hands. The few passes that where errant the WR did not knock the pass down so it would be intercepted. I saw the TE (LK) drop many passes that hit them in the hands. AR would not stand for that kind of play and neither should we, we need better WR and TE talent from this off-season.
Did he hold the ball too long... Yes. Did he make bad throws in the red zone... Heck ya. Did he get better.. yes.
The clock is ticking on AR and I am all in, if AR is not playing we aren't going anywhere anyways. BH is good enough to hold a clip board for me. Spend the draft and capital on winning with AR, there will be time to rebuild post AR.

 

[Terranimal]

I'm already there on the weather thing from injuries....never broke anything but plenty of other i injuries and a bad wreck being rear ended in '97

 

[realitybytes]

It’s entirely possible no team would want Hundley as No. 1. Given his wheels and new-found seasoning, many teams probably would like him as No. 2.

i for one think of him as #2.

 

[GBP4EVER]

I think we will see Gutekunst go out and sign a veteran backup QB and hopefully will outplay Bumley so much in TC that MM will have no choice but to agree to cut Bumley.