MintBaconDrivel
10 years ago

GREEN BAY — Aaron Rodgers has always been a Marshawn Lynch fan.

And so, as the Green Bay Packers quarterback prepares to see his old University of California teammate yet again on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game — knowing that he was thisclose to being his teammate in the NFL in 2010 — even Rodgers couldn't help but wonder what might have been Wednesday.

"I thought it was a possibility, for sure," Rodgers said during his pre-NFC title game press conference Wednesday afternoon.

As the trade deadline approached in October 2010, the Packers were in dire need of running back help. Ryan Grant, who'd had back-to-back 1,200-yard seasons, had suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the season opener, and James Starks — the rookie sixth-round pick who would wind up being the running game's savior during the second half of the season and the Packers' run to the Super Bowl XLV title — was on the physically unable to perform list with a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills had finally decided — after getting calls from the Packers and other teams — to trade the unhappy Lynch , whom they'd taken No. 12 overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. Rodgers wholeheartedly endorsed the idea at the time. Lynch would have had two ex-Cal teammates — Rodgers and linebacker Desmond Bishop — in the Packers locker room with him.

"He's a great player," Rodgers said then. "And any character issues the team might see, I think in a situation like that, and I think you've seen that with other players across the league, when you give a guy a change of scenery and a guy like that who feels he might have something to prove, and surround him with two guys, Bishop and myself who played with him, I think that can only help him feel comfortable and see a lot of production."

In five seasons with the Seahawks, Lynch has run for 5,930 yards in regular-season play and another 658 in the playoffs. He had 1,306 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns this season.

On Wednesday, Rodgers recalled his time with Lynch at Cal and how close the Packers were to acquiring his old college teammate.

The Packers had liked Lynch coming out of Cal — they'd hosted him on a pre-draft visit and were hoping he'd fall to them at No. 16 that year — and they did make an offer to the Bills before the trade deadline. But while Seahawks general manager John Schneider — the ex-Packers executive who was in his first year as Seattle's GM — was willing to part with a 2011 fourth-round pick  (No. 122 overall) and a conditional 2012 pick that ended up being a fifth-rounder, Packers GM Ted Thompson would go no higher than the team's 2011 fourth-round pick (No. 129 overall).

Had Thompson been willing to part with his 2011 third-round pick (No. 96), the Bills likely would have taken the deal. The Packers ended up using that pick on Hawaii running back Alex Green, who was a disappointment.

It all worked out in the end, of course, as Starks helped the Packers to the NFL title and Thompson ended up nabbing Eddie Lacy in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Lacy has had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and has some similar qualities to Lynch.

"He was on the market for what didn't seem like a whole lot getting out of Buffalo. I think they ended up taking that offer based on where the pick would lie in the draft because of the records," Rodgers recalled Wednesday. "So it'd be interesting to see any of the what-if's if he had come here. But Eddie's a very similar-style back, as far as not being taken down with the first defender, running through arm tackles, his ability to catch the ball and make something as well. And both Marshawn and Eddie are great blockers in the pass protection."

At Cal, Rodgers said, Lynch was a good teammate. That's what Seahawks players say, too, despite Lynch's occasionally questionable behavior.

"He was a lot of fun to play with. He's a great player," Rodgers said, recalling that the Bears had J.J. Arrington, Justin Forsett and Lynch in their backfield during his final season at Cal. "Marshawn was an extremely gifted athlete. He used to always challenge me in throwing competitions. I won't say I beat him every single time because he's got a heck of an arm — distance wise, not accuracy.

"But he was a great teammate. We had a lot of fun. Oakland guy, so he loved being in the Bay Area and representing for his city, as he used to say. But he's a talented guy. It's been fun to watch him and follow him and see him at various events."

Here are Rodgers and Lynch interacting at halftime of a 2013 preseason game at Lambeau Field:

Jason Wilde  wrote:


nerdmann
10 years ago
Might have added another SB.

Then again the problem has been mainly the D.

Also remember Lynch was considered a malcontent at the time, plus he had spinal issues. You know how our team doctor looks askance at that sort of thing. Still, I wanted that trade, bad.
“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”
Zero2Cool
10 years ago

One thing before I get back to "work".

Seahawks and Packers.

Who's gonna have a higher pick in the upcoming draft if you had to guess right now? I'm thinking the Seahawks. I wonder if that played into it at all.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 




After reading what Aaron said, I thought it sounded familiar. This quote is from 2010 October. Aaron, quit stealing my lines bubba!!
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beast (8h) : But the Return from IR designations had to be applied by the 53 man cutdown.
beast (8h) : It's a new rule, so it's not clear, but my understanding was that they could be IR'd at any time
Mucky Tundra (13h) : *had to be IRed at 53
Mucky Tundra (13h) : beast, I thought the designate return from IR players had to be IR at cutdowns to 53, not before
beast (13h) : It's a brand new rule, either last season or this season, prior, all pre-season IRs were done for the season
beast (13h) : But the Packers would have to use one for their return from IR spots on him, when they cut down to 53.
beast (13h) : I think the NFL recently changed the IR rules, so maybe the season might not be over for OL Glover.
Zero2Cool (14h) : Packers star Howton, first NFLPA prez, dies at 95 😔
dfosterf (17h) : Apparently it is too complicated for several to follow your simple instructions, but I digress
dfosterf (17h) : Zero- Did you see what I posted about Voice of Reason and his wife? She posted over at fleaflicker that they are both "In"
Zero2Cool (7-Aug) : Well, not crazy, it makes sense. Crazy I didn't notice/find it earlier
Zero2Cool (7-Aug) : it's crazy how one stored procedure to get data bogged everything down for speed here
dfosterf (7-Aug) : to herd cats or goldfish without a bowl. They reminded me of the annual assembly of our fantasy league
dfosterf (7-Aug) : out on a field trip, outfitting them with little yellow smocks. Most of the little folk were well behaved, but several were like trying
dfosterf (7-Aug) : Yesterday my wife and I spent the afternoon on the waterfront here in Alexandria, Va. A daycare company took about 15 three/four year olds
wpr (7-Aug) : seems faster. yay
dfosterf (7-Aug) : Wife of reason posted on the in/out thread on fleaflicker that both she and vor are in
Zero2Cool (7-Aug) : This page was generated in 0.135 seconds.
Mucky Tundra (7-Aug) : Tbh, I can never tell the difference in speed unless it's completely shitting the bed
Zero2Cool (7-Aug) : Sure does feel like site is more snappy
Zero2Cool (6-Aug) : I thought that was the Lions OL
Mucky Tundra (6-Aug) : Travis Glover placed on IR; seasons over for him
Zero2Cool (6-Aug) : found bad sql in database, maybe site faster now?
dfosterf (5-Aug) : I'm going to call that a good move.
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : Packers sign CB Corey Ballentine
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : I'm not sure how to kill the draft order just yet so it's not so confusing.
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : *to be able
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : and because it's not a dynasty league (which makes a lot more sense to be ability to trade picks)
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : Oh I know; I was just exploring and it blew my mind that you could trade picks because of the whole reordering thing
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : Zero, I think I preferred my offer: your 1st for my 15th rounder
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : Keep in mind, we do a draft reorder once all members locked in
Zero2Cool (4-Aug) : You can have my 12th Rd for your 2nd round
Mucky Tundra (4-Aug) : Hey i didn't know we could trade picks in fantasy
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : Update: Rock has tried a cheese curd, promises it's not his last
Zero2Cool (3-Aug) : watch it!! lol
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : you're right, we never did leave, the site just went down :P
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : Rock claims to have never eaten a cheese curd
Zero2Cool (3-Aug) : We did not leave.
Mucky Tundra (3-Aug) : Family Night! WE ARE SO BACK!
Mucky Tundra (2-Aug) : To this day, I'm still miffed about his 4 TD game against Dallas on Thanksgiving going to waste
Martha Careful (2-Aug) : Congratulations Sterling Sharpe. He was terrific and I loved watching him play.
beast (2-Aug) : I believe it's technically against the CBA rules, but Jerry just calls it a simple unofficial chat... and somehow gets away with it.
beast (2-Aug) : Jerry Jones is infamous for ̶n̶e̶g̶o̶t̶i̶a̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ chatting with players one on one... and going around the agent.
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : Oo just saw a blurb saying that Dallas negotiated directly with Parsons and not through his agent
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : I assumed that both guys will get paid, just a matter of when or how we get there
Zero2Cool (1-Aug) : McLaurin nor Micah going anywhere. They will get money
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : the Synder years or do they take care of one of their own?
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : Do the Commanders risk losing a top WR with an emerging QB just because he's turning 30 and potentially risk damaging the rebuild from
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : Turns 30 this September, plays at a high level and Washington has some cap space I believe
Mucky Tundra (1-Aug) : More interesting is Washington with Terry McLaurin
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