Packers Tabbed as ‘Sleeper’ to Sign $120 Million Jordan Love Replacement

Getty The Packers' Jordan Love.

It has not been a stellar showing, by any measure, for the Packers‘ Jordan Love. It’s not all his fault, of course, not with a disappointing offensive line, a too-young group of wide receivers and a running game that has yet to find its footing. But Love has a quarterback rating of 80.5, which is 26th in the NFL. And it is with that in mind that ESPN’s Dan Graziano has a suggestion: Kirk Cousins to the Packers in 2024.

Oof. Not only ending the Packers’ Jordan Love experiment but — bringing in a Viking?

The Packers are, Graziano wrote, a “sleeper pick” for Cousins. Here’s how he explained it:

“My (Kirk Cousins) sleeper is Green Bay,” Graziano wrote in a story published November 15. “Jordan Love doesn’t look like the answer, and while the Packers are as patient as any team in the league, they’re also used to winning. Cousins knows the Packers’ offense because it’s a derivative of Kyle Shanahan’s scheme from their time together in Washington, and Cousins and Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur could work well together.”

Kirk Cousins Projected for a $120 Million Payday

Now, there are significant obstacles to any such deal getting done. For one thing, the Packers would have to clear out room for Cousins when he hits free agency in March. They’ve got about $23 million in space available for 2024 free agents, according to Over The Cap, but Cousins is projected by Spotrac to get a hefty three-year, $120 million contract.

That would probably be too pricey for a Packers team that has arranged its entire roster around building with youth. Cousins is 35 years old and when he plays again next year, he will be 36 and coming off a torn Achilles tendon.

Graziano acknowledged that the suggestion of Cousins to the Packers looks absurd at first blush, especially considering the Packers are a draft-and-develop franchise that does not typically go big-game hunting in free agency. But there is some logic — lose more games this season, draft a quarterback to develop, sign Cousins to carry you for a couple of years in the meantime.

The Packers were fortunate to get Love’s signature on a team-friendly one-year, $13.5 million extension in the offseason, one that amounted to Love betting on himself. The deal allows the Packers to move on from him without a significant financial penalty.

“I recognize this is out of left field and completely different from any way the Packers usually operate,” Graziano said. “But Jordan Love’s “extension” includes a palatable $5.5 million in guaranteed salary in 2024 and nothing thereafter.”

Also noteworthy, though, is that Spotrac includes the Packers as a potential suitor for Cousins — it’s not just a sleeper in Graziano’s mind. Spotrac advises the Vikings to sign Cousins early or “risk having to bid against teams such as Atlanta, Tampa, Green Bay, etc., who may have immediate interest.”

Packers’ Jordan Love Experiment Over Already?

How do the Packers truly feel about Love and his potential? They could decide this season that he is not the long-term answer. He has a strong arm, but accuracy has been an issue and he has thrown 10 interceptions. His 3.3% interception rate is worst in the NFL among every-week starters.

We don’t fully know how the Packers envision their future with Love at this point, but we could know by season’s end. And that could be where Cousins comes in.

“If they get to the end of this season and decide Love isn’t the guy moving forward, the Packers might not feel like drafting another guy and waiting for him to develop. And even if they do that, Cousins could be the solution in the meantime for a team with a promising young wide receiver group,” Graziano wrote.