ALAMEDA – Jordy Nelson plans to return to his family farm after his playing days are done. The Nelson clan has operated Nelson Angus Farms for generations, and Jordy will return to help run the family business.
Not anytime soon. There’s a lot of good football left to play, despite what detractors believe is the start of his decline. The 33-year old Raiders receiver is fresh off his worst season in years, where he saw a production dip and Green Bay’s offense struggled while Aaron Rodgers was hurt.
That prompted many to believe he’s lost a step, a concept Raiders players, coaches and brass have brushed off, a notion Nelson himself finds comical.
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“It’s a simple answer for people who don’t know football,” Nelson said on the Raiders Insider Podcast. “People take a look at your age and, for some reason when you have an ACL tear (he missed all of 2015 with a knee ailment), the injury lingers on forever. Then it’s a week-by-week basis. If you don’t play well then you’ve lost a step. If you have 100 yards and two touchdowns, then you’ve got it back. Then the next week you’re just as capable of losing a step again. That’s why you can’t live the roller coaster.”
Nelson believes the East Bay will be fruitful for his career and his family. He chose Oakland thanks in large part to Derek Carr’s East Bay tour, where the Raiders quarterback showed the potential target more rural areas that fit the family well.
Carr and Nelson hit it off quickly, and have developed a solid on-field rapport they believe will translate to steady production.
Nelson has worked with Rodgers most of his career, and while few compare to one of the best passers in NFL history, Nelson says Rodgers and Carr share some similar traits.
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“Their mindset, the details they focus on in game prep and within a play separates some of the best who play the game,” Nelson said. Aaron was definitely that way. He was incredible detailed about what he wanted to do and what he wanted his receivers to do. I can see that already in Derek so far. That’s where it starts. They also throw great passes and everything else is football.”
The Packers wanted Nelson to take a big pay cut, and ultimately let him walk shortly after free agency began.
“Anytime you spend 10 years somewhere and it abruptly ends, it is a shock to the system,” Nelson said. “You quickly move on. We had phone calls declaring interest an hour later and I was on a plane 12 hours later. It was a great experience, and now I’m glad I went through it and have seen the other side of football. It has been a great experience, a smooth transition, and we’re looking forward to spending our next couple years here.”
He’ll spend Friday night against his old team, with the Raiders hosting a preseason game against Green Bay. Nelson admits it’ll be weird seeing green on the other sideline, but will be all business after kick off. He and the starters should see extended reps, with some time to find a rhythm in a game setting.
And yeah, that rhythm will be fast.
“He’s faster than I thought, and I thought he could already run,” Carr said. “I knew he could go, but nothing has really surprised me. I mean, everything that you hear about him is what you get. He helps the receiver room raise their level, whether you’re the second guy, third guy or you’re just trying to make the team, he raises the level for others.
“It’s not only with the way that he practices and works out and the way he takes care of his body and those things, but the way he goes after it mentally. He wants to think like the quarterback. If we throw a ball, we’re always communicating. We’ll say, ‘Hey, if they play it this way, I like it like this.’ Just the way he communicates, it rubs off on those young guys too.”