GREEN BAY – In an alternate football universe, one where the Green Bay Packers didn’t use their 2020 first-round draft pick on quarterback Jordan Love – the first domino in a chain reaction that led to Aaron Rodgers doubting he’d spend his entire NFL career with the team that drafted him – maybe James Morgan isn’t playing at Lambeau Field on Saturday as a visitor.
Maybe, the kid who was an All-State quarterback at Ashwaubenon High School – and played his home games for the Jaguars at Goelz Field, exactly 1.4 miles down Ridge Road from Lambeau – is clad in the green-and-gold of his hometown team rather than the Gotham Green of the New York Jets.
Maybe, the kid who went to the Jets in the fourth round of last year’s draft (No. 125 overall) – 11 picks before the Packers would’ve been on the clock in the fourth round had they not traded that pick to move up to take Love – is the young signal-caller general manager Brian Gutekunst takes a Day 3 flyer on. Maybe he’s the developmental quarterback that doesn’t cost a ton of draft capital but develops into a reliable backup and future trade bait for a quarterback-needy team the way Mark Brunell (fifth round, 1993), Matt Hasselbeck (sixth round, 1998) and Aaron Brooks (fourth round, 1999) did for the greatest of all Packers GMs, Ron Wolf.
Maybe, the kid who wore No. 4 for the Jaguars in honor of Brett Favre and wore No. 12 at Florida International in honor of Rodgers – and will be wearing No. 4 in Saturday’s preseason game between the Packers and Jets – has to find a different NFL jersey number to wear since in Green Bay No. 4 is retired and No. 12 is still very much in use.
Maybe, the kid who was teased for being a Rodgers “fanboy” by his Jets teammates during this week’s joint practices – and landed on Rodgers’ Instagram page when the two posed for a photo during a break in practice after Rodgers learned Morgan had grown up right down the street – is good buddies with Rodgers after spending all of last season together (socially distanced, of course) in the Packers’ quarterbacks room with him.
Maybe. Maybe.
“I pictured that all the time. I always dreamed of that,” Morgan admitted after the Packers-Jets joint practices and in advance of Saturday’s preseason game between the teams. “Growing up, going to games and picturing yourself being there …”
That was not Morgan’s story, though. Only the Packers personnel staff knows how interested the team would have been in Morgan, and Gutekunst cast his lot with Love.
But the alternative football journey Morgan is on is still a remarkable one.
“I think back to two years ago when I was here watching practice in college and picturing being here someday,” Morgan said, standing almost literally in the shadow of Lambeau Field outside the Jets’ team buses following Thursday’s practice. “To be on the other side of that fence, it was awesome. It was a cool experience.”
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic wiping out last year’s preseason games, Morgan didn’t see any game action as a rookie and finally made his NFL debut in the Jets’ 12-7 win over the New York Giants last week, completing 5 of 9 passes for 45 yards. With the Jets having taken BYU’s Zach Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick in April, Morgan is competing for a backup spot with Mike White and Josh Johnson.
“James, obviously him being home, he’s very excited to be here and play,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “But it’s like we tell him all the time, we tell all of them, just make it normal and everything else will take shape. So, he’s good.”
Added Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, the younger brother of Packers coach Matt LaFleur: “He’s been excited about this since he found out we were coming to Green Bay, probably back in May. (But) he’s doing a good job. Last Saturday was his first time playing NFL football. He’s obviously been in practices, but getting out there for his first preseason game, knocking off some nerves, I thought he really settled down in the game.
“Again, this is really, in essence, his first training camp, too. Last year was such a modified training camp, and now he’s learning his second (offensive) system in two years. Every day is a process for him, just like it is for Zach and Mike White. But he’s doing a good job. He’s such a cool guy to work with, and you could see why he’s been so successful up to this point.”
Morgan started his college career at Bowling Green State, redshirting in 2015 before playing in 18 games the next two seasons. After a coaching change, Morgan, who had earned his degree in three years, left as a graduate transfer and wound up at Florida International, where he threw for 5,312 yards and 40 touchdowns in 24 games over two seasons while leading the Golden Panthers to berths in the Bahamas Bowl and Camellia Bowl.
He’d gotten his opportunity at FIU by sending out 60 emails in search of a school to transfer to, and the only school to respond – belatedly – was FIU. After breaking 10 school records and earning invites to the East-West Shrine Game and the NFL scouting combine, he became the first Green Bay-area quarterback to be drafted since former Green Bay West and University of Wisconsin quarterback Bud Keyes was drafted in the 10th round by the Packers in 1988.
Morgan also is one of five Green Bay-area natives who are currently on NFL rosters, along with Packers offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen (Bay Port), Houston Texans offensive lineman Max Scharping (Green Bay Southwest), Las Vegas Raiders fullback Alec Ingold (Bay Port) and Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman Kahlil McKenzie (Southwest). While Van Lanen and Morgan shared the practice field for two days, it was the time Morgan got to spend with Rodgers that made for the most memorable moments.
“It was really cool getting his perspective,” Morgan said. “I got to talk to him in 2-minute drill and he wanted to hear about our plays and I was picking his mind on some of that stuff. Just the depth that goes into every play for him and what he can tell about a defense in a play was something that’s really cool, especially as a young quarterback. Listening to that is awesome. I always admired him and Favre growing up. To be able to share the field with him was a cool deal, for sure.”
Morgan said his mom had secured roughly three dozen tickets for Saturday’s game and was trying to get more. He may not be wearing the jersey he’d envisioned himself in, but it’s still a dream come true, he said.
“It’s going to be awesome on Saturday,” Morgan said. “I’m really excited to get going for that. It was just super-cool picturing it as I was growing up and being able to experience it is something that means a lot to me.”
