The Green Bay Packers moved up in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft and selected Jordan Love because they believed he could be their quarterback of the future. Two years on, though, they are still waiting for him to show them he has what it takes.
Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy sat down for an exclusive interview with Tom Grossi of Packast earlier this month and touched upon the development of the team’s 2020 first-round pick, who has only made one start over his first two seasons and has only seen his path to playing time further obstructed this offseason by a new contract for Aaron Rodgers.
Understandably, Murphy said they are still being patient with Love as they inch closer to the start of their 2022 offseason workout program in mid-April, but he also added that they “haven’t really seen enough” from him in his limited playing opportunities to feel confident about his abilities.
“You have to be patient, especially when (Love’s) first year there was really no preseason,” Murphy told Grossi in a video uploaded to his channel on April 8. “We think he can be a good player, but we haven’t really seen enough. So, I think this preseason will be good for him. He’s a talented player and I know the decision to draft him has been questioned by a number of people, but it’s such an important position. … They said the same thing when we drafted Aaron.”
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Murphy: Rodgers’ Future a ‘Year-By-Year Thing’
The Packers appeared to solve their crisis at quarterback in March when they signed Rodgers to a long-term contract extension, but Murphy reaffirmed in his talk with Grossi what many fans who have studied the terms of the deal have already assumed: That Rodgers’ future is more than likely going to be something that gets revisited each year until the end of his career.
Rodgers signed an extension that keeps him tied to the team through the 2024 season, but he is also chasing that elusive second Super Bowl title that could sway him to call it quits even sooner. That’s to say that if the Packers produce another playoff-bound season in 2022 and manage to win — or even simply reach — the Super Bowl again, he could waltz off into retirement. He has considered it in each of the past two offseason, after all.
“Aaron is still playing at a high level and he’s said he wants to keep playing, but I think it’s probably a year-by-year thing now with him, which is understandable when you get to that point in your career,” Murphy told Grossi. “Like we said, (quarterback is) such an important position. To have somebody like Jordan we can develop, it’s pretty good to have.
Now it’s up to Jordan to take advantage of the opportunities that he does have.”
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Packers’ Mark Murphy Sends Strong Message on Jordan Love