Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst was noncommittal when discussing quarterback Jordan Love’s future with the franchise on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, Gutekunst addressed whether the organization considers the 24-year-old to be its quarterback of the future.
“We’re evaluating a first-year player, if that makes sense,” the GM said of Love, via Bill Huber of FanNation’s Packer Central. “Because he’s really had his first chance to go out there and game plan week-in and week-out so, to me, right now, it’s looking at the small victories, the small improvements and making sure we’re moving forward. If that doesn’t, if that stops happening, then there’s problems. But, right now, I think we’re seeing little things.”
Green Bay is in the midst of a four-game losing streak, falling to 2-5 on the season after starting the campaign 2-1. Love has struggled during the team’s cold spell, completing just four touchdown passes against seven interceptions during that span.
After Aaron Rodgers’s first seven games as the starting quarterback, the Packers had seen enough to reward him with a contract extension. Love has one year remaining on his contract, but Gutekunst was far from committal about whether he’d be in line for an extension.
“We’ve got 10 games left. These are going to be very important 10 games,” said Gutekunst. “I think he’s done a lot of really good things. Really like the way he’s responded to the adversity, how he’s led the team. Again, we’ve got to be better as a unit and I expect that to happen over the next 10 games.”
Love, who turns 25 on Thursday, is in his first season as Green Bay’s starting quarterback, but his performances have been inconsistent throughout the team’s first seven games this year.
It’s worth noting that the talent surrounding Love is largely inexperienced. Not a single wide receiver on the roster is older than 25, and none of the Packers’ tight ends are older than 26.
Gutekunst added that when the entire offense is struggling, it’s hard to get a fair read on Love’s performance.
“When the group as a whole is not functioning the way it should function, then it's hard to evaluate anybody," he said, via ESPN.
