Not everyone is banking on Jason Witten’s Dez Bryant-to-the-Packers prediction to come true.
Aaron Rodgers doesn’t expect Bryant to join the Packers’ receiving corps given fellow veteran Jordy Nelson was shown the door in March after 10 years.
“I’m paid to play quarterback, so I don’t make those decisions,” Rodgers told reporters Tuesday following the Packers’ first OTA practice, per ESPN.
While Nelson, 32, has since signed with the Raiders, the 29-year-old Bryant remains on the open market after turning down a multi-year offer from the Ravens. Last month, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst drafted three receivers, Missouri product J’Mon Moore in the fourth round, followed by Notre Dame’s Equanimeous St. Brown and South Florida’s Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the fifth.
“Well, we like young receivers, so I’m assuming that’s the way they’re going to keep going,” Rodgers said. “I don’t know why you’d cut Jordy and bring in Dez, but he’s a talented player. He’s going to end up somewhere. If he ends up here, we’ll obviously welcome him with open arms and get him up to speed as quick as possible.”
Rodgers is still getting familiar with the new faces in the facility. Shortly before releasing Nelson, the Packers also cut ties with quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt in January, following a six-year stint in Green Bay.
Rodgers did not appear to agree with either decision and vented about not being consulted over the Van Pelt one.
Following Nelson’s departure this spring, Rodgers penned a sincere note to one of his favorite targets on Instagram.
“Hard to find the right words today to express what 87 means to me. No teammate exemplified what it means to be a packer quite like him,” Rodgers wrote. “From living in GB full time, his incredible contributions to the city, state, and region, to his consistent, reliable play on the field. Definitely a sad day and the toughest part of this business. There will never be another quite like white lightning.”


