This time last year, Aaron Rodgers wasn't in attendance for organized team activities and drama regarding his future with the Green Bay Packers was lingering.
This time around, any Rodgers drama has dissipated with a lucrative extension and his absence from any offseason workouts is hardly of any concern in the eyes of new quarterbacks coach Tom Clements.
"Aaron doesn't need reps at this time of year," Clements said in a Thursday news conference. "Obviously, it'd be nice to have him here, but he's seen these things a thousand times and he'll be ready to go when training camps start."
Rookie minicamp for the Packers took place May 6-7 and OTA offseason workouts are set to commence Monday and run on and off through mid-June, with mandatory minicamp set for June 7-9.
Magnified by the departure of Davante Adams in a trade to the Las Vegas Raiders, the Packers' wide receiver corps will have a vastly different look and feel this upcoming season with some new, young talent likewise being introduced.
Clements, a favorite of Rodgers who rejoined the team in February after holding various titles with the club from 2006-2016, believes now is a good time for the youngsters to learn the system overall, to overcome preliminary mistakes and essentially learn to walk before they run routes.
"I think it's best for them to learn what's going on so they're ready to go in training camp," Clements said. "Because this time of year, they're learning, making mistakes, learning from their mistakes, so hopefully when training camp comes they're ready to do their best, and I think that they'll be enough time at that time for Aaron to work with them."
The 38-year-old Rodgers has hardly been a fixture at Packers spring workouts over the last few years and yet he's won the last two AP NFL Most Valuable Player honors. Hence, there's no reason for alarm -- or drama, even though we have become predisposed to expecting offseason histrionics with Rodgers over these past couple offseasons.
"He's just at a different stage of his career now where he's taking care of himself and working on what he thinks he needs to work on physically," Clements said, "And he looked good when I saw him, so he'll be ready to go."
Rodgers isn't expected to be seen at spring workouts, but there's likewise no drama to be seen here, either.
