Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love. (Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
Steve Kerr enters COVID protocols, out for Warriors-Grizzlies Game 4
The Packers front office still likes Jordan Love, but they have no idea if he’ll ever actually become a starting quarterback in Green Bay.
When Green Bay spent a first-round pick on Jordan Love back in 2020 they thought they were future-proofing their roster at the game’s most important position. Unfortunately for the young quarterback, Aaron Rodgers remains just as entrenched as the Packers starter as he was the day Love was drafted.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst still believes the former Utah State signal-caller has a “bright” future but freely admits that his ability to become a starter in Green Bay depends on how long Rodgers decides to continue to ply his trade at Lambeau Field. At the very least, it now appears that Green Bay officials are open to the idea that trading Love might be the right move for all involved.
Does Jordan Love have a future with Packers?
The perceived weakness of this season’s quarterback draft class led many fans to believe Love would be on the move this offseason. It’s unlikely the Packers will receive a large enough offer to part with their backup before Week 1 arrives, but stranger things have happened. An injury to a high-profile starter of a playoff team could easily lead a competing franchise to kick the tires on what it might take to acquire Love.
Green Bay’s front office would like to recoup the first-round pick they spent to obtain Love back in the 2020 Draft, but interested trade partners will only have six games of regular-season game film to evaluate. Love didn’t play a single snap during his rookie campaign before making five relief appearances and one start for the Packers last year.
It might be in the team’s best interest to make subtle inquiries to quarterback-needy teams about what they might be willing to give up for Love. The team isn’t going to want to pick up his fifth-year option which is coming up all too quickly for Green Bay. The closer that option comes to becoming reality the lower the Packers’ asking price on Love is going to become.
The Packers’ process for selecting Love in the first round was sound, but it’s hard to argue he’s given them solid value for the pick required to land him. The reality that they may be forced to deal him soon to recoup decent value will only heighten the criticism surrounding the pick in Green Bay.