Aaron Rodgers made it clear while talking to reporters Tuesday: The Yahoo! Sports report of his "frustration" with what the Packers have done this NFL offseason has been greatly exaggerated.
With it, the Green Bay quarterback also did his best Joel Embiid impression when asked about all the changes around coach Mike McCarthy.
"This process works, and it has worked for Mike for a number of years," Rodgers said. "We've had a lot of success here, and just got to trust the process."
Based on that report and based on Green Bay's moves, there have been natural reasons for Rodgers to get "emotional." He's seen both his beloved quarterbacks coach, Alex Van Pelt, and longtime go-to wide receiver and friend, Jordy Nelson, get displaced.
But Rodgers also is rational enough to know the Packers needed a little shake-up to keep their championship window propped open. He just turned 34 and had another season cut short by a broken collarbone. Green Bay just saw its NFC playoff streak snapped at eight seasons, and it's been a long seven seasons since it won its only Super Bowl with Rodgers.
From the massive overhaul of the coaching staff to the key decisions for their receiving corps, the Packers this offseason have given Rodgers five good reasons to put his unwavering trust in them.
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Locking up Davante Adams and adding Jimmy Graham
Without Nelson, the Packers still will have improved red-zone pop for Rodgers' return. Adams and Graham each scored 10 touchdowns last season, tied for fifth in the NFL.
The team paid Adams like a No. 1 receiver for the long term before the 2017 season ended. He did have two concussions last season, but he's been mostly durable and has only scratched the surface as a dominant, young target, still only 25. He's headed toward giving Green Bay the best of Greg Jennings and Donald Driver in one complete package.
The Packers didn't get the desired veteran receiving results from tight ends over the past two seasons with Jared Cook and Martellus Bennett. Graham, like Nelson, has slowed down, but he's still a devastating finisher and difficult cover in a short area.
Rodgers threw 33 TD passes inside the 20 to lead the league in 2016, with 25 of them coming inside the 10. Rodgers and Brett Hundley combined for only 16 red-zone scores in 2017. The combination of Adams and Graham guarantees a big spike.
Keeping Randall Cobb over Nelson
Nelson became the salary-cap casualty over Cobb, because at age 32, Nelson has lost much of his speed, quickness and versatility. Cobb didn't have a great 2017 season, either, but he's five years younger and can rebound better in his comfortable slot receiving role.
In order to make it work, the Packers need to draft a potential outside upgrade from Geromino Allison and DeAngelo Yancey to start opposite Adams. As good as Nelson had been in the slot of late, Cobb is the more traditional impact player at the position. The chemistry with Rodgers is there, too, and the Packers wisely figured Cobb could be the better producer for them in the short term.
Cobb is the final year of his contract with a chance to prove he remains a vital cog in Green Bay's passing game. The one-time Pro Bowler will take advantage of it.
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Bringing back Joe Philbin as offensive coordinator
Philbin is at the front of a brand-new offensive staff, but it's like his old one, with James Campen helping with the running game and offensive line and Jim Hostler overseeing the passing game and wide receivers. New quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti Jr. is the only true element of unfamiliarity for Rodgers.
The Packers will get back to more basic gunslinging with Rodgers working to get the ball to wideouts and tight ends out of simple mismatches. It's been seven years since Philbin was in Green Bay, but he's still only 56 and will provide a fresher emphasis on working around Rodgers' elite talent. He won't worry about forcing balance, but rather using the run game to play more off the pass game.
Philbin had the Packers as a consistent top-10 offense from 2007 through '11, and they have lost some explosiveness since. Don't be surprised if they get pass-happier and Rodgers-friendlier at the same time.
Hiring Mike Pettine as defensive coordinator
Pettine is keeping the base 3-4 of predecessor Dom Capers, but he is giving it a shot of creative energy with more hybrid looks and better meshing between the defensive front and secondary. The Packers were No. 22 in total defense and No. 26 in scoring defense last season.
Those tweaks should lead to Green Bay allowing fewer points and generating more takeaways. The defense will be better positioned with its personnel to maximize the pressure Rodgers puts on the Packers' opponents. In recent seasons, the defense has failed to give them the right brand of complementary football.
Pettine has operated some solid defenses with the Jets, Bills and even the Browns despite shaky quarterback play. He has never had a chance to play off a QB of Rodgers' caliber. Likewise, Rodgers will not have to be called upon as team's ultimate savior.
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Having 12 draft picks for Brian Gutekunst
Gutekunst takes over as the new general manager, and he already has had to do a ton of homework with his team sitting on a dozen draft selections. Although he is a long-time, in-house protege of Ted Thompson and Ron Wolf, there's no doubt Gutekunst wants to be a little more aggressive.
Adding Graham and defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson were as bold of moves as the Packers make in NFL free agency, and Gutekunst followed them with the tough decision to cut Nelson. Starting with the No. 14 pick, many believe the Packers will think defense first, namely further boosting the secondary for Pettine. But the volume of picks allows the flexibility to go after solutions at wide receiver and the offensive line.
In the end, the Packers' offseason remains mostly about the draft. Last year, they found two running backs, Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, who showed enough flash as rookies for the team to think they'll be key contributors in Year 2. The Packers have found star receivers in the second round consistently — see Jennings, Nelson, Cobb and Adams — and are a good bet to do so again.
The Packers are going through a process they have been through several times before. And while changes with both McCarthy and Rodgers in mind haven't been made in a while, history proves patience will pay off. Regardless of Rodgers' initial reaction to the changes, they are being made for the good of the QB's greatness.
