In Aaron Rodgers’ eyes, the explanation the Jets’ offense functioned higher in its second joint practice than its first had nothing to do with changes to the opponent, the weather or the play calls.
Quite simply, receiver Garrett Wilson practiced Wednesday against the Buccaneers after he didn’t practice last week against the Panthers.
Wilson getting open quickly saved the offensive line from a worse day than it had.
“No. 17 being on the market just changes the dynamics of the entire thing because he’s so special,” Rodgers said. “The talent is de facto impressive. He makes difficult things look easy.”
Rodgers and Wilson connected 4 times during team drills, twice more during 7-on-7 and once throughout the two-minute drill, furthering what has a likelihood to rival any connection in need of the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes-Travis Kelce as the very best within the NFL.
“He throws it to a spot I didn’t know I wanted it to be at,” Wilson said, “but that’s where it needed to be at — and it was open.”
Wilson had 83 catches for 1,103 yards and 4 touchdowns last season because the Offensive Rookie of the 12 months, while fidgeting with 4 different quarterbacks.
If he stays healthy, he could possibly be elevated into the conversation with Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams and Ja’Marr Chase because the NFL’s best receivers by season’s end.
In actual fact, Rodgers already is affording Wilson the treatment that he reserved for Adams after they were Packers teammates.
“I told him I used to have a rule where I’d give Davante a little bit extra tick [before throwing],” Rodgers said, “because I knew if I did that, he was going to get open because he is de facto difficult to cover. I even have to provide that to Garrett, too, because sometimes you give him just a little bit extra tick — where you’re sitting on him — he’s going to be really open. That’s what he’s earned by his performance in camp.”
And in limited time, no less. Wilson returned to individual drills on Aug. 10, after he was held out of practices with an ankle injury.
“It was just like the longest two weeks of my life,” Wilson said. “I attempted to have the correct approach and see the sport from a distinct lens. Those first five days where I used to be strictly off my feet so much, I just wanted to look at, see the operation and see how Aaron went about things with the receiver group. I feel prefer it was helpful for me.”
Rodgers’ 65.3 profession completion percentage is tied with Peyton Manning’s for sixth-best amongst quarterbacks who’ve played a minimum of 10 seasons, and he has the bottom profession interception rate (1.4 per 100 passes) in NFL history.
So, yes, he could make Wilson higher along with his accurate ball placement, whether into a good spot or barely enough out in front to permit for the spin moves, jukes and burners that make him a yards-after-catch threat.
“Each time I get a rep with him, it’s really useful and at all times a learning experience,” Wilson said. “He sees football how I see it, where I’m open without delay, he’s going to throw it without delay. You don’t should get through your whole route. It’s truthfully rare, but so far as pick-up ball and the way I grew up playing, that’s the way it ought to be, to me.”
Rodgers and Wilson already sit next to one another in offensive meetings.
The subsequent step in constructing rapport is sharpening their non-verbal cues so Wilson understands the meaning of a Rodgers head nod.
“We haven’t made the identical mistake twice,” Rodgers said. “There’s a variety of conversation around a variety of the ideas that we each have. He’s a creative guy as well, and he’s got a variety of ideas about certain ways to run routes.”
Creativity is significant. Sometimes easy is healthier.
“He makes it easy for me, like, ‘Oh, the ball is true here,’ ” Wilson said, pointing to his chest. “I do a release and abruptly it’s like, ‘I’m going to catch that one. It’s right on me so I even have to catch it.’ ”
Again and repeatedly.
