Getty Head coach Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers walks onto the field during pre-game warm-ups prior to the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Green Bay Packers hold the rights to a valuable asset who, barring injury, isn’t likely to see the field anytime soon, meaning his greatest potential value lies in trade rather than play.
It has been five years since 38-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers missed a game due to injury and three years since he failed to win the honor of NFL MVP. It was just two years ago that the Packers traded up to draft Rodgers’ supposed replacement in Jordan Love, who has not capitalized on the few chances he’s had to prove himself.
Green Bay didn’t bite on trade offers for Love during this year’s draft, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported in May. But Rapoport said the team was willing to move Love for the right price, which the team would more likely receive if he can prove himself this season.
Rob Demovsky of ESPN laid out Love’s situation in 2022 as part of a piece published on Friday, June 3.
“Here’s why it’s a critical juncture for both Love and the team that took him in the first round of the 2020 draft: If the Packers believe Rodgers will play beyond 2022, then they probably will try to trade Love next offseason,” Demovsky wrote. “If they keep him, they’ll have to decide by next May whether to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.”
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Packers Waiting for Right Offer to Move on From QB Jordan Love
GettyQuarterback Jordan Love’s future with the Green Bay Packers remains a question mark heading into the 2022 season.
The Packers had the chance to move Love in late April and early May, but didn’t get the right price, Rapoport said during an appearance on the Tuesday, May 10 episode of “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“I do think they had some interest,” Rapoport said. “I don’t think they had any offer that would make it so they had to move on from [Love]. The problem is, his value as a backup is real. That is an important thing. I guarantee somebody would trade a fifth-rounder for Jordan Love. I’m sure somebody would trade a fourth-rounder for Jordan Love. But is that enough for the Packers? God forbid something happens to Aaron Rodgers, is that enough for the Packers to say, ‘You know, we’ll do this, we’ll figure it out later.’
“They want the security of Love, who knows their system, who they still like. We don’t know if he’s gonna be what they think he’s gonna be, but they still like him. So none of those deals would be enough for them to give up on their backup in case Rodgers gets hurt.
“Now, if someone is willing to give maybe a [second-rounder], definitely; or a [third-rounder], maybe. Then I think [the Packers] would say, ‘You know what, we’ll take the [trade], we’ll sign a veteran backup, and we’ll deal with it.’ It’s just the value hasn’t come close to meeting what they would do for it.”
Love Has ‘Swagger Back,’ According to Teammate A.J. Dillon
GettyIn his one career start, Jordan Love threw for 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
At the Packers’ OTAs last week, Love appeared confident, according to one of his more prominent teammates.
“He’s got his swagger back,” running back A.J. Dillon told Demovsky.
Where Love lost his swagger is hard to say, though it might have been in Week 9, when he stepped in for Rodgers against the Kansas City Chiefs when Rodgers was sidelined due to COVID protocols.
Love went 19 for 34 passing for 190 yards to go along with one TD and one INT. The Packers lost 13-7 in an anemic offensive performance.
Love, 23, will certainly have to do better than that, either in preseason or the regular season, to garner real interest from other teams. And the Packers have incentive to showcase his skills because general manger Brian Gutekunst appears ready to move on from Love should the price ever prove right.
Gutekunst spoke about the situation Friday, May 6, during an interview with Mike Clemens of the Wisconsin Radio Network.
“I think we’re excited about [Love’s] development,” the Packers GM said. “He’s going into his third year. He showed really good signs last year. I think his future is bright.”