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Rodgers: No benefit in playing only 1 series in preseason games

Patrick McDermott / Getty Images Sport / Getty

It's been four years since Aaron Rodgers' last preseason appearance in 2018. If the Green Bay Packers quarterback does take part in any exhibition action this year, it won't be a brief appearance.

"I definitely don't see any benefit to playing one series," Rodgers said, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. "If we're going to play, we should play ... a quarter, a couple of series, two-to-three series. Just suiting up for four plays, to me, is a waste."

Coach Matt LaFleur has already scratched Rodgers for the first two preseason games, though he hasn't decided if the passer will participate in the team's final exhibition contest.

The Packers are in the midst of a transition at wide receiver after losing Davante Adams, while their offensive line has been struck with injuries to starters David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins.

Rodgers acknowledged the risk-versus-reward factor that comes with starters attempting to develop chemistry in exhibition play.

"I think it's kind of a no-win situation to the outside of the building," Rodgers said. "If somebody gets hurt, (it's), 'I can't believe they played our guys.' But if we go out and have a stinker, (it's), 'I can't believe they didn't play them.'"

He continued: "You've just got to do what's best for the squad, and Matt's going to do that. He's going to lean on the leaders of the football team, and if he feels like we need to go out and play, we'll go out and play. But I don't want to just go out and play three plays. That, to me, is a waste of time."

Green Bay's preseason preparation was called into question last year following a 38-3 defeat to the New Orleans Saints in its 2021 opener. The Packers are 2-1 in Week 1s since 2019, though both their victories came by nine points or less.

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