His blocking has gone from not very good to solidly average, maybe even a little above average. He’s certainly blocking better than other 2nd yr TEs of Ebron, Amero, Jenkins, Nicklas; Fedorawitz might be a touch better.
On receiving he’s ascending as well; it’s just being masked by AR’s not-MVP to poor play and this must be adjusted for. Aaron Rodgers is currently #14 in yards; but Culter, Bradford and Mariotta have all passed for more yrds/gm. McCown/Manzell; Rothlesberger/Vick/Jones; Mallett/Hoyer/Yates; Luck/Hasselbeck; Manning/Ostweiler have all passed for more yrds. Romo would have more yards. Aaron Rodgers is effectively #24 in passing yards...TWENTY-FOUR.
I can think of 4 plays off the top of my head: one in the left seam for a 40 yard TD; 2 wheel routes down right sideline for about 20-25 yards where Aaron Rodgers missed RR; that just would not have happened if 2014-AR were playing this year. And yesterday a 20 yard TD falling OOB for a TD called back by penalty. Adjusting for the huge difference in QB play; RR would have several more catches and probably 200, maybe 300, more yards.
RR has made a couple of Knuckleheaded plays/penalties, which disappoints. He only has 1 drop; but I think he should have made a few more tough catches. He’s been just about YAC-less; it does seem a strong gust can knock him down; but this to some degree can be attributed to the routes they have him running. GB is concealing RR’s strength in the middle [They revealed some of those looks w/ Perillo v. Detroit]. Most of his routes are either moving horizontally toward SL [setting up the wheel routes that Aaron Rodgers has been missing on] so he can easily be cut down; or he’s sitting down in a hook zone gap, which don’t lend much to YAC. Hit RR over the middle while he’s moving and you’ll see more Lacy-like YAC.
2014: 478 snaps; 30 Tar; 20 catch; 225yrds; 2 TD w/MVP QB
2015: 528; 53; 36; 253; 5 W/ a Ryan Fitzpatrick impersonator