The decision-maker for the Green Bay Packers believes quarterback Jordan Love is ready to play right now, and he’s confident in Love’s ability despite the uncertainties that come with an inexperienced player at the position.
While Aaron Rodgers is now deciding his football future after a disappointing 2022 season, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was effusive in his belief that Love is ready.
“I definitely think he’s ready to play. I think he feels that way. He’s chomping at the bit,” Gutekunst said. “At the same time, we’re going to do the best thing for the Green Bay Packers and what gives us the best chance to win moving forward.”
Love, the team’s first-round pick in 2020, has played in 10 games and been on the field for 157 total snaps during his first three NFL seasons.
In 2022, Love’s most extensive play-time came after Rodgers went down with a rib injury in Philadelphia. He led the Packers to 10 points over two drives, including a touchdown pass to Christian Watson.
“We really like the development of where Jordan is. I think he’s ready to play. I think that’s his next step in his development,” Gutekunst said.
The Packers stuck with Rodgers as a starter despite a 4-8 start. The team wasn’t mathematically eliminated until the final game of the regular season, so starting Love never became an option, even if Gutekunst and the Packers felt good about his ability in a starting role down the stretch.
“If Jordan would have had to play significant time, we felt really good about that,” Gutekunst said. “But it’s like any quarterback in the National Football League, when they haven’t done it, you go into that with some unknowns. They have to handle a lot of different things, see a lot of different things before they can get to a point where they can win games in this league.”
Gutekunst compared a future transition to Love to the move from Brett Favre to Rodgers back in 2008. Even in hypothetical change, there is always uncertainty.
“We are very excited about Jordan and where he’s at, there’s no doubt about that,” Gutekunst said. “But Jordan’s never played a 16-, 17-game season and gone through all that stuff.”
Gutekunst said he could envision both Love and Rodgers being on the roster in 2023, and the team is still deciding on the fifth-year option, which would keep Love under contract in Green Bay through 2024.
The Packers appear to be in a position where a future Hall of Famer is still believed to be the best option in terms of winning games right now, but the developing first-round pick is ready to play and needs to play. This situation adds another complex layer to an intriguing offseason in Green bay.
