Will Aaron Rodgers Attend Packers' OTA Monday? Does He Need To?

Former Cal star didn't participate in OTAs last year, but Green Bay has several new receivers this year

Will former Cal star Aaron Rodgers attend the Packers’ voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) starting on Monday? Perhaps more significantly, does he need to attend those OTAs?

We all remember that last year, when Rodgers was requesting a trade while complaining about the team’s relationship with him, Rodgers skipped all of the Packers’ offseason programs. He was not present for the OTAs and was also absent for the mandatory minicamp.

Did that affect his performance in 2021? Apparently not, because he led the Packers to the No. 1 seed in the NFC and won his second straight MVP award.

This year is different, however. Rodgers seems pleased with the Packers’ front office, and he signed a lucrative contract extension. More important is the fact that he has to become familiar with the Packers’ new passing weapons.

Last season, the Packers’ receiving corps was set, with Davante Adams being the star and Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Randall Cobb, Marcedes Lewis and Robert Tonyan being the other primary receiving weapons.

This year, Adams, perhaps the best wide receiver in the NFL, and Valdes-Scantling are gone, and Tonyan is coming off a torn ACL that ended his 2021 season. The Packers drafted three wide receivers, the most noteworthy being second-round pick Christian Watson. Green Bay also added veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins. It would seem Rodgers would need as many repetitions as possible with the new receivers, hoping to build familiarity, chemistry and timing.

Or will that chemistry develop over time whether Rodgers attends OTAs or not? Besides, at age 38, he may need to extend his offseason as long as possible to keep him fresh when the games count. And after 17 years in the league, Rodgers has a pretty good idea what he needs to do to be ready for an NFL season.

During last month’s draft, Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show that he would participate in some of the workouts in May and in the minicamp in June. “I’m excited to get back there and get things going,” he told McAfee, according to Packer Central. “I’m going to put in the time to make it work with those guys and we’re going to find a way.”

However, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal reported on April 12 that Rodgers is not expected to attend the Packers’ voluntary OTAs, but will attend the mandatory minicamp in June.

The Packers seem OK with that.

“Aaron doesn’t need reps at this time of the year,” Packers offensive coordinator Tom Clements said last week, according to Packer Central. “Obviously, it’d be nice to have him here, but he’s seen these things 1,000 times and he’ll be ready to go when training camp starts.”

The Packers will hold OTAs May 23, May 24, May 26, May 31, June 1 and June 3, then will have the mandatory minicamp June 7, June 8 and June 9. Another week of OTAs will be held June 13, June 14, June 15.

We can be pretty sure Rodgers won't attend the June 1 OTA because that is the day he is partnering with Tom Brady against Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen in The Match, a televised charity golf event.

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Cover photo of Aaron Rodgers by Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

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Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

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