Packers Cast Doubt on Extension for QB Jordan Love

Getty Quarterback Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers warms up prior to a game against the Chicago Bears in December 2022.

The Green Bay Packers have made their bed at quarterback with Jordan Love. The question now is how long do they want to sleep in it?

General manger Brian Gutekunst handed over the proverbial keys to the franchise to the 24-year-old signal-caller the moment he closed the deal that sent Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets. By Tuesday, May 2, Packers brass must decide if their agreement with Love is a one-year rental or a long-term lease.

Green Bay retains the right to exercise the fifth-year option on Love’s contract after selecting him with a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, that call must be made in the next 48 hours, which consequently is more than double the number of regular season minutes Love played for the Packers throughout the entirety of the 2022 campaign.

Gutekunst addressed his apprehension about paying Love just shy of $20.3 million two seasons from now considering how few meaningful snaps the quarterback has actually taken over his three-year career in Green Bay.

“Got to figure that out by Tuesday,” Gutekunst said. “It’s a lot of money for a guy who hasn’t played but at the same time, we’re moving forward with him.”

Packers Likely to Pick up Jordan Love’s Contract Option Despite Downside

GettyQuarterback Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers communicates with his teammates during a game against the Detroit Lions in January 2022. 

The decision on Love is a double-edged sword. If the Packers don’t extend him and he plays poorly, the franchise can negotiate a lower annual salary for the QB in 2024 and beyond, or simply go another direction with no financial penalty. If the team doesn’t pick up his option and he’s great, then Love can leverage other offers for a long-term deal at a higher price point.

Should the Packers extend Love and he doesn’t prove out, the team is hamstrung under center for a second full year in 2024. However, if Green Bay picks up his option and Love is awesome, the Packers have a quarterback at under-market value two years from now, which is a fantastic position for a franchise looking to compete.

Ultimately, Green Bay is almost certain to exercise Love’s fifth-year option. The downside of making the wrong decision is worse if Love either walks or if the Packers are forced to pay him more money over more years than they would have needed to otherwise. Having just traded away the best quarterback in franchise history also puts considerable pressure on the front office, even if dealing Rodgers was the right move, which most believe it was.

That said, it is more than a little interesting that Gutekunst and company haven’t exercised Love’s option already. It is even more interesting that the GM didn’t put the full weight of the organization behind the man who is expected to be its next franchise quarterback, though that may be merely a motivational technique of sorts.

Packers Selected QB Sean Clifford in 5th Round of 2023 NFL Draft

GettyThe Green Bay Packers selected Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Packers aren’t putting all their faith in Jordan Love, which was highlighted by the team’s decision to draft QB Sean Clifford out of Penn State over the weekend.

Clifford, a redshirt senior in 2022, is actually four months older than Love. He was a successful starter for the Nittany Lions, appearing in 13 games over each of the previous two seasons. Clifford threw for 5,929 yards and 45 touchdowns compared to just 15 interceptions over those two campaigns, per Football Reference.

Backup quarterback Danny Etling is also on the Packers’ roster heading into the summer.