The power of Aaron Rodgers can be plainly seen in the divergent careers of James Jones and Greg Jennings.
Since returning to Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers a week before the start of this season, Jones has risen from the receiver graveyard—catching 17 of his 20 targets for 317 yards and four touchdowns. Rodgers has a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeting Jones, a 2007 draft pick of the Packers who left the team ahead of the 2014 season. He spent a season in Oakland and this summer in New York before returning to Green Bay in early September to save the day when Jordy Nelson was lost for the season with a torn ACL.
The 31-year-old Jones is currently on pace to catch 68 passes for 1,268 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Jennings is inching ever closer to irrelevancy.
A two-time Pro Bowler and once one of the game’s top receivers, Jennings has seen his career nose dive since leaving Green Bay. He signed a five-year, $40 million deal in Minnesota but played just two seasons with the Vikings, who released him this past spring after acquiring Mike Wallace from the Miami Dolphins.
Jennings eventually latched on in Miami, where he’s had a forgettable start to the 2015 season.
Over four games, Jennings has just seven catches on 18 targets for 54 yards and zero touchdowns. He’s dropped three passes, and his long catch is just 11 yards. Ryan Tannehill’s passer rating when targeting Jennings is 56.0. Only seven receivers with at least 15 targets have a worse mark.
The stats say otherwise, but Jennings and Jones are probably on equal footing as far as receiving talent goes. Neither can rely on physical dominance of an opponent to get open.
The difference is at quarterback.
Jones returned home to Rodgers after a season with Raiders rookie Derek Carr. He lucked out when the Giants decided to send him packing at final cuts, opening the door for his Packers reunion. Jennings hasn’t had any luck since his eventful departure with Green Bay, suffering through a maddening quarterback carousel in Minnesota and Tannehill’s dumpster fire offense in Miami.
Chances are, Jennings would be the receiver having a revival season had the roles been reversed.
Life as one of Aaron Rodgers’ receivers is good. Just ask Randall Cobb, who took less money on the open market to return to the Packers this past offseason. Or ask James Jones and Greg Jennings, two receivers who are having polar opposite starts to the 2015 season. The grass is always greener with No. 12.