Why Jordan Love Shouldn't Be The Backup Quarterback... Yet
The goal for Jordan Love is to be the future starter. That doesn't mean he needs to be the backup now.
By BruceIrons
The Jordan Love pick may be one of the most controversial Packer draft picks of all time.
Last year, the controversy only escalated as Love sat at the bottom of the depth chart at QB3, behind Tim Boyle. An obvious criticism was that if Love wasn't even as good as Tim Boyle, then why waste a 1st round pick on him?
There's a lot of criticism to be made, but that particular point doesn't really hold a lot of water.
Just because Love was behind Boyle doesn't mean he wasn't better and it certainly doesn't mean he won't be better.
All it means is that Boyle was better suited to be the backup quarterback at that time. By the same token, the Packers may feel Blake Bortles is better suited to the backup quarterback role this year, even if they think Jordan Love is better than him right now.
If he's better, why wouldn't he be better suited to the backup role?
Let's step back and look at the big picture, starting with what rookie quarterbacks have to deal with.
When any rookie comes into the league, they have a lot to deal with. Many of them are coming into money for the first time. It's not just a little money. It's not just a lot of money. It's an insane nonsense amount of money. A lot of draft picks get a signing bonus bigger than all the money some of us will make in our entire lifetime.
That kind of money brings complications. It's not as simple as having a financial planner. They're buying new cars and jet skis, they're buying a house for their mom, they're finding out they had 100's of cousins they never knew about... and all of them could use a little money.
Along with those distractions, they're going from living at home in high school, to living in the structure of dorm life in college, to being on their own for the first time in their life.
Don't forget that players are human beings. Rookies are young human beings. They have a lot of changes to keep up with during their rookie year aside from just learning the playbook.
The playbook is another issue altogether, especially for quarterbacks.
Every position has to learn their role in the scheme and understand how it plays off other positions, but only quarterbacks have to learn every position on offense for the entire playbook. That means they have to learn 11 positions, not just one (which is one of the big reasons why we don't usually see immediate impact from rookie quarterbacks).
Quarterbacks have a big jump to the pros from college, where the offensive schemes need to be simple enough for kids coming straight from high school to pick up with limited practice time.
In the pros, schemes are a lot more complex. When Matt LaFleur came to the Packers, he brought a new offense. Aaron Rodgers is one of the sharpest minds in the NFL and the team is full of veterans, but installing LaFleur's new offense was still a multi-year process for the Packers.
These things aren't easy and even the most talented quarterbacks can benefit from a year or two to absorb the system.
In addition to picking up the offense (which is very difficult), there's also the physical side of a quarterback's development.
Go back and watch some Aaron Rodgers college film and compare it to his throwing motion today.
Worlds apart.
College is a different game than the pros. In college, players who are pro-ready are matched up against kids fresh out of high school. The top players in college can win simply on natural ability, even if their mechanics aren't great. College programs don't have the time to hone player mechanics with their limited practice time. In some cases (like Aaron Rodgers), they are even coached to have mechanics that work at the college level but don't translate well to the pro game.
It takes time - years, not weeks - to change mechanics that have been ingrained and evolving in a player for a decade and a half.
All the physical and mental aspects that have to mature for a quarterback to become pro ready take time.
Look at how some recent greats started their careers:
Peyton Manning was rushed to start as a rookie and he was downright terrible, leading the league with 28 interceptions (compared to only 26 touchdowns) and posting a 71.2 quarterback rating (the worst rating he would post until his final season, when his body was failing and he couldn't throw an out route any more) on his way to leading the Colts to a pathetic 3-13 record.
Patrick Mahomes sat the bench his rookie season, gained a full command of the offense, then came out on fire his sophomore year and won the MVP award with a 50 touchdown season.
Aaron Rodgers took a few years as an understudy and, based on his limited action those year, benefited greatly from having time to hone his craft. When he finally became the starter in 2008, he looked nothing like the Tedford-mechanics thrower that he was in college and he was on his way to one of the greatest quarterback careers of all time.
Jordan Love only had one year on the bench so far and he didn't even get a typical rookie offseason. Not only were there no preseason games, but there was also a lot less in-person practice where Love could develop and improve his game.
Why does this matter? Why not throw a rookie out there and see what they can do? Who cares if he just has a bad rookie year?
Well, it can go deeper than just a bad rookie year. Their growth can be permanently stunted, and I'm not just talking about a loss on confidence (which can also short-circuit a career).
Let's look at what the starting quarterback has to do during the season.
During the season, the starting quarterback's weekly routine revolves around installing the gameplan. They study hours of film on the upcoming opponent. They work with the coaches on the philosophical plan of attack and spend most of practice working on the specific plays that are drawn up and included in the install for that week for that specific opponent.
Their entire week is focused on the gameplan for whoever they are playing in the next game.
What does a young quarterback need to work on?
Improving footwork, practicing how to look off defensive backs, improving elbow angles for increased velocity, and a dozen other things that have nothing to do with the upcoming opponent.
If a quarterback is a starter, their season is about the weekly gameplanning, not improving as a quarterback.
If a quarterback is a backup, they need to be just as ready with the weekly gameplan as the starter. In many cases, they're also doing supplemental film work for the starter, too.
Neither of these roles have much time to work on refining their mechanics or improving much as a quarterback.
That's why young quarterbacks are great fits in the QB3 role - the developmental quarterback, not the backup.
That's why Jordan Love should be QB3 this year and not the backup - even if he's better than Blake Bortles right now.
If you take a raw, physically gifted quarterback, teach them the playbook, then throw them into the starting lineup, a lot can go wrong.
If their footwork is a bit inconsistent or their throwing motion has the slightest hitch, those issues will magnify as the quarterback rushes to keep up with the speed of the pro game. Making matters worse, defensive coordinators will look for those shortcomings (which are easy to see on film after a few outings) and come up with game plans to attack them.
Giving a young quarterback a year or two (or even more) to refine their game and get pro-ready is a wise course of action and a proven course of success.
Say what you want about Mike McCarthy, but he coached the heck out of Aaron Rodgers while he sat the bench for three years to help get him where he is today. There is no doubt in my mind that if the Bears had drafted Aaron Rodgers, they would have rushed him to the starting lineup and ruined him like they have so many other talented quarterbacks.
I don't want that for Jordan Love. You shouldn't, either.
By Brian Gutekunst's own admission, Love still "has a long way to go."
That's ok.
He's not a bust, yet - he's still learning he system and improving his game.
That means that even if he was better than Tim Boyle last year or he's better than Blake Bortles this year, he'll still be behind them on the depth chart. He'll continue to focus on his own personal development instead of getting into the routine of focusing on week-to-week gameplanning.
Give him time to reach his potential before putting him on the field.
He may never be great, he may never even be good, but his best chance at success will come if the team gives him time to learn from the bench and focus on improving before he needs to play.
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Bruce Irons has played, coached, and studied football for decades. Best-selling author of books such as A Fan's Guide To Understanding The NFL Draft, A Fan's Guide To Understanding The NFL Salary Cap, and A Fan's Guide To NFL Free Agency Hits And Misses, Bruce contributes to CheeseHeadTV and PackersForTheWin.com.
Follow Bruce Irons on Twitter at @BruceIronsNFL.
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Comments (146)
BJP
May 23, 2021 at 11:40 am
tl;dr Two words: Justin Herbert
Coldworld
May 23, 2021 at 04:36 pm
How many QBs were ruined by being thrown in too soon? Just because Herbert seems to have clicked doesn’t make it the norm.
Leatherhead
May 24, 2021 at 04:03 pm
Is it from being thrown in too soon, or is it they were thrown into bad situations?
I was perusing the stat tables over at pro-football-reference and I couldn’t help but notice that all the top QBs are also the least sacked. In terms of sack %, it’s Roethlisberger, Brady, Rivers, Mahomes, Rodgers, Goff, Allen......if you’re not taking sacks, you’re winning games. If you don’t protect them they won’t succeed. A good ground game helps protect your QB.
Love doesn’t have to play like an HOF guy for us to win. He’s not expected to carry the team.
canadapacker
May 23, 2021 at 08:45 pm
Two words Johnny Manziel
blacke00
May 24, 2021 at 07:47 am
One year does not a career make.
PhantomII
May 23, 2021 at 11:50 am
The longer this AR hold out goes on, the more it looks like a Trade post June 1. Looks like Broncos also and like it was done deal pre draft. Just waiting for the CAP hit to be reduced 20 mill in June for financial latitude. I agree with a lot of the commentary, but ML system can be upped and we have the horses to make that happen and take some burden off any QB. ML schemes WR's and TE's open also. We have a new slot weapon also. Love will not have over the top Davante vision either. ML offense is perfect for any QB to flourish once the offense is learned. It does not require top WR talent to do get the job done unless the run game is shut down or the coach reverts to the pass game to placate a Diva QB.
PeteK
May 23, 2021 at 12:42 pm
Phantom, I agree with everything you said except not needing top WR. In order to compete for a championship a team needs a top WR. When a defense adjusts to your running game a top WR will do more than gain yardage , he will score TDs. So I believe balance is a major key.
PhantomII
May 23, 2021 at 01:06 pm
The main thing we have failed at is abandoning the run game against better defenses. When that happens, having superior WR talent shines through as this is really AR game anyways. Having more than 1 of these top WR's is mandatory to win at the highest level. Something Gute has failed to do for GB. We have Deguara and Dafney running and blocking our RB's to daylight and also Big Dog, etc. When we can establish this type Offense for the long haul any QB will be better for it. With todays smaller faster ILB's the pulling HBack types are more than a match for them if our game plan is executed to perfection. We will not have to fear SF or the Bucs defense and we will run their butts into the ground. The longer they are on the field the tireder they will become. That is ML offense and AR doesn't want it to be his in his twilight. Not as much Glory for himself. When this system is not attained and executed to a high degree....yes top WR's become more necessary. Those type WR's are always welcome but harder to retain for financial reasons. We have not heard of AR taking any cost cuts to enable Pack to get a top WR to go along with Adams.
Oppy
May 23, 2021 at 08:42 pm
By your own logic, maybe the answer isn't making sure we have two #1 WRs...
...maybe we just need the QB to stick with the run game a bit more?
Doesn't that seem like the easiest, most cost effective, and efficient solution to the problems you've identified?
PhantomII
May 23, 2021 at 09:50 pm
When ML took over the Packers we were primarily a passing team with OL strength at buying AR time, not road graders for the run game. We have been moving more to road graders. ML had to get a bruiser RB and blocking Hback / TE to get our run game where we needed it. That's why we have tall WR types to block out smaller CB's etc. All this will work fine as long as everyone executes the game plan and mix in some passing game. When a defense makes us 1 dimensional and stops our run game or ML abandons it early, we don't have enough top WR talent to compensate. Having a good #1 and a guy on his first contract playing on the cheap as #2 WR is a good scenario Gute has not accomplished to add flexibility to the run game against top level Defenses. I think we now have enough run game to be hard to stop regardless as of now.
Oppy
May 24, 2021 at 06:17 pm
It's crazy, but we've always touted Rodgers ability to audible at the line into whatever he wants.. and when LeFleur took over, some of that was taken away but more RPO plays went into the mix.
We have one of the top backs in the NFL, backed up by a good back (Williams), and a very promising young back as well in Dillon. Our line never had to be road graders (Not that it doesn't help), it's still a ZBS- you need an OL that can move on its feet with timing to wham the DL on a double and then one OL releases to find his target at the second level.
I'm tired of all the blame for a lack of running game being placed on MM for a decade, and now being thrown at Matt LeFleur, who touts an extremely balanced offense. At some point, people need to start asking the QB to stick to more runs as opposed to laying all the blame on the play caller.
As to the talent of the WRs... I'm not going to pretend the Packers are chock-full of big name talent, but over the last 6-7 years, there's too much video evidence of WRs on the field open, overlooked, and never thrown to, that ended up in a throw away or a sack, to continue on pretending that Aaron Rodgers doesn't shoulder some of the responsibility for fruitless pass plays.
Rodgers played great last season, but why is it Packers fans are so resistant to seeing the man isn't faultless.
jannesbjornson
May 23, 2021 at 01:08 pm
Players, not Plays. HOF QB walks so does any chance for relevance the next three-four years.
PhantomII
May 23, 2021 at 01:29 pm
Maybe, but Rodgers has not been close to Elite or MVP in any NFCC game regardless of the WR's he has had at the time. Saying SF would regret not taking him overall #1 has never come close to backed up by him. He is a first ballot HOF QB, and the best regular season QB. Not even close in the playoffs. Denver does have a good defense and a lot of WR's that can be very good, so who knows. I guess if we had given Rodgers a #1 WR and 2 #2WR's and a 4.4 / 40 TE maybe things would look and be different. GB current WR group is average at best. Definitely needs more talent and higher catch % rate. Gute had to sew a lot of picks and $ into our Defense....it was in really bad shape. Our D will be solid this year. Our offense will be better overall.....Will we have a good QB?????????
jurp
May 23, 2021 at 06:24 pm
Favre essentially walked and we won a Super Bowl three seasons later.
canadapacker
May 23, 2021 at 08:46 pm
Which was 6 years after he was drafted
canadapacker
May 23, 2021 at 08:46 pm
Which was 6 years after he was drafted
Demon
May 23, 2021 at 10:25 pm
And you think that is the normal course of action huh? By that logic why did it take more than 20 years to reach a superbowl after Bart Starr retired?
It amuses me that the people whom are so afraid of change that they didn't want to see TT, MM, Dom Capers, Mike Pettine or any of the other dead wood replaced. Are all for replacing Aaron Rodgers.
Coldworld
May 24, 2021 at 08:32 am
As are some of us who did, at least if Rodgers forces a position. Where the franchise is mortgaged to him cap wise regardless if health, effectiveness or even unavailability well into his 40s with the associated risk of a diluted roster around him and also his eventual replacement. This isn’t as simple as Rodgers or no Rodgers. The viable path is the one already contracted for by both.
Ultimately, Rodgers’ ability to win depends on negligible decline and a continually improving team around him. The first requires the odds to be defeated, the second is jeopardized by what he appears to be demanding.
10ve 💚
May 23, 2021 at 10:28 pm
Good thing we had the HOF QB the last 15 years to bring us the half a dozen Super Bowls (looks like that is how you define relevance).
Wait.... hmmm... I just checked... Packers have managed only one solitary Super Bowl win during his time here. Ah... got it! As Rodgers has not managed to keep the Packers relevant, you don't consider him HOF-worthy. So which HOF QB are you referring to?
Pro-LifeMatters
May 23, 2021 at 02:30 pm
If a trade with Denver or anyone for that matter was consummated during the draft, it could have been announced immediately and certainly by now, with a simple post June 1st designation to become official.
PhantomII
May 23, 2021 at 03:07 pm
I don't mean on paper but verbal with basic main personnel / picks agreed upon. New woman, different priorities
marriage/family (finally). Who knows. If it was not with all the other stuff involved, maybe it would feel like it was more likely salvageable. Denver has better WR core in place.
NickPerry
May 24, 2021 at 05:21 am
And the O-Line is absolute trash...Good luck A-Rod!
10ve 💚
May 23, 2021 at 10:31 pm
Where's the fun in that! No squirming... no talking heads spouting nonsense click-bait... who wants that? That would be too sensible!
Stroh
May 23, 2021 at 04:44 pm
Rodgers will be out till training camp. But if it continues until then means nothing! The Packers aren't trading him and once training camp starts it BECOMES VERY expensive even for Rodgers!
Rodgers has some leverage right now to get what he want (security for the long term, up to 5yrs) and he's simply using whst leverage he has. But get it thru your head... he's not getting traded any time soon, particularly this year!
jurp
May 23, 2021 at 06:26 pm
IF Rodgers isn't traded, then look for him to not report to TC, as he expects Love and Bortles to fail. He wants to make the Packers beg for him to report.
He should be traded, as we don't need a jerk playing selfish mind games on this team.
greengold
May 23, 2021 at 07:24 pm
Stroh, I appreciate your takes, but:
1. You cannot make him play for you if he chooses not to play for the Packers.
2. He has enough money to retire if the Packers force that issue.
3. You have to admit that you don’t know what he wants. None of us do. As fans, we’re all left guessing.
jeremyjjbrown
May 23, 2021 at 07:35 pm
Not even Rodgers is going to pay the Packers back the 30 million dollars they prepaid him to retire early because he did not like last years draft picks.
That would be beyond cutting of your nose to spite your face.
greengold
May 24, 2021 at 06:49 am
Correct. If he wanted to, he could pull that off. He won’t. The bigger point is you can’t make him play for you if he doesn’t want to.
Coldworld
May 24, 2021 at 08:44 am
The nightmare is him turning up and then having to get paid and sent home. Remember, that’s how Favre precipitated the end. If Rodgers does that we get no cap relief.
I’m really doubting that teams are going to be willing to offer some of the sorts of packages thrown around. Unless there is a bidding war I can see the offers getting lower as it becomes clear the Packers have less options. The thing that could change that is a major injury on a contender, but would the team want him going there and would the price leave contention still plausible?
greengold
May 24, 2021 at 11:19 am
Agree. Personally, I think AR really wants this trade to DEN to happen. He will help foster that. Let's put it this way, while he may wish to spitefully injure the Packers, none of that stuff helps his new team, the Broncos. DEN wants only to get AR into TC ASAP, so that they can focus on beating the Raiders, the Chargers & the Chiefs. If the trade is real, it will go down quickly.
Also agree the price will be lower than all the crazy stuff that has been flying around.
I think GB gets 2 R1s and Patrick Surtain II in exchange for Aaron Rodgers.
I think GB gets an R2 and Bradley Chubb for starting RT Billy Turner.
Seems to me, that is the most likely scenario, without a 3rd team bidding up the terms.
LambeauPlain
May 24, 2021 at 11:59 am
I am certain AR and David Dunn had as much to do with the contract agreed to in 2018 as the Packers did.
Arron Rodgers and David Dunn apparently negotiated a terrible deal for Aaron Rodgers and David Dunn in 2018.
Oppy
May 23, 2021 at 08:49 pm
None of us can know what Rodgers wants, mostly because I think he's more deceitful than he appears, but we can make a pretty decent guess based on things he's said repeatedly over the last decade.
Probable, based on his prior statements:
He wants to play into his 40's.
He wants to end his career where he started it.
This is where the issue is, I believe. Those two items are 100% intertwined and inseparable in Rodgers' mind. The Packers timeline probably doesn't have Rodgers on this team for another 3+ years. That ruins Rodgers dream career goals. Rodgers probably wants to force the Packers into a situation that all but guarantees he's the starter into his 40's.
10ve 💚
May 23, 2021 at 10:37 pm
This line of reasoning I can flow with...
10ve 💚
May 23, 2021 at 10:35 pm
Security. S E C U R I T Y ?
What is that? Having a roof over your head? Having 3 square meals a day? Having enough to take an annual vacation?
Or do you define security as being able to change yachts as frequently as changing a shirt? Then yes, definitely that poor guy only has a couple of hundred million dollars or so ... practically destitute!
jannesbjornson
May 23, 2021 at 05:07 pm
Rodgers isn't going anywhere but cheesetown.
realitybytez
May 23, 2021 at 11:58 am
"An obvious criticism was that if Love wasn't even as good as Tim Boyle, then why waste a 1st round pick on him?"
i stopped reading right there.
not only was he not worth a first round pick, but the reality is that the packers used a 1st and a 4th round pick. so many people seem to forget that. including the author of this extremely long post.
SwedeBayPacker
May 23, 2021 at 03:15 pm
Settle down, Nostradamus
Stroh
May 23, 2021 at 06:13 pm
The Packers wouldn't have traded up for him unless they considered him a true 1st rd prospect! Rodgers was the last 1st rd grade left when the Packers drafted him at #24. So it's also very likely Love was also the ONLY player on the board with a 1st rd grade!
Aplinal
May 24, 2021 at 02:27 am
You. Don't. Know.
No one does except the FO and Coaches. If I was them I'd certainly NOT be saying Love is ready as that potentially diminishes any future trade deal for Rodgers. GB would have to look "desperate" NOT to lose AR to maximize a deal. Love isn't a bust, the plan was always for him to sit 2/3 seasons.
Stroh
May 24, 2021 at 03:26 pm
Error.
Rossonero
May 23, 2021 at 12:12 pm
Good article, thanks Bruce. I'll admit I am worried about Love just carrying a clipboard around and not getting any reps in practice.
History is important, so I went back to the Packers' depth charts for 2005, 2006 and 2007 to see where Rodgers was at:
2005 (rookie year): started as 4th on depth chart behind J.T. O'Sullivan and Craig Nall. Nall already had 4 years of experience in Mike Sherman's offense at that time. O'Sullivan eventually was let go and Rodgers was the 3rd string QB.
2006 (year 2): Rodgers becomes back-up. Nall is gone. Rookie QB Ingle Martin is 3rd string
2007 (year 3): Rodgers remains back-up to Favre. Ingle Martin remains 3rd string.
My question for you: is it crazy to have Love as the back-up this season? My answer is...no. Could it be risky given Gutekunst's comments? Yes. It's fair to say that Love may be farther behind developmentally than where Rodgers was in 2006, especially with COVID hampering any ability to have a normal off-season.
The key is this: how long will Rodgers be around? Favre hung around a lot longer after Rodgers was drafted, even though he, too, wanted out after the 2007 draft when he felt the front office didn't do enough to trade for Randy Moss. Of course we all know Favre was traded in 2008. That said, I could see Rodgers play for the Packers in 2021 and then get traded in 2022...will Love be ready by then? That's the $64,000 question. Let's just hope they're coaching the heck out of him, too, and that this off-season is a little bit more normal than 2020's now that we have vaccines to combat COVID.
PeteK
May 23, 2021 at 12:31 pm
I fully agree with you, Ross. In order for Love to develop ,he needs to be the backup. He had a year to rest, learn the offense, and get himself acclimated to being a pro. Next step: practice with the top squad and be involved in game planning. His mechanics can be honed during the skills and team portions of practice.
Stroh
May 23, 2021 at 04:51 pm
Rodgers was never the #3 QB. Not even as a rookie. If Favre got hurt Nall wasn't going to be the starter. Rodgers would have started.
Johnblood27
May 23, 2021 at 05:10 pm
Thank you Mr Peabody.
Rossonero
May 23, 2021 at 05:20 pm
Is this an opinion or fact Stroh? I went back and looked at historical depth charts. The reality is Rodgers was too raw in 2005 and had no experience in Sherman's offense....whereas Craig Nall had multiple years under his belt. For those reasons, Nall was the back-up in '05, not Rodgers.
LambeauPlain
May 24, 2021 at 12:32 pm
I recollect it the same as you, Ross. #12 was #3 in 2005. And it was not surprising at the time...because he was a ROOKIE.
And Love is essentially a redshirt rookie. If Rodgers swallows some pride, I could see Love remaining #3. However, if Love has a strong camp I could see him made the back up. Matt, Hackett and Getsy seem to be rather good evaluating QBs, especially if he outplays Bortles in practice and pre season. It will be a good competition between the two.
If Rodgers doesn't gulp and fails to return to GB, then I expect a Love/Bortles TC contest for the starting spot.
Stroh
May 24, 2021 at 03:32 pm
You honestly think Craig F'in Nall would have EVER started ahead of a 1st rd pick. Your hilarious!!! Common sense dude! TRY IT!!
Regardless of what the depth chart said, there was no way in hell Nall was going to play, much less start instead of Rodgers in that situation!
Oppy
May 24, 2021 at 06:24 pm
Rodgers throwing mechanics and footwork were Tedford-Terrible his rookie season, and he didn't know the offense.
Rodgers was a true #3 that year. Nall would have 100% been given the green light, I'm convinced.
splitpea1
May 23, 2021 at 02:46 pm
It all depends on whether or not Rodgers will be back. If he's not, then Love would at least be the #2 behind Bortles. And just because AR mostly sat for three years doesn't mean we have to use the same template for Love. For goodness sake, he shouldn't need to be nurtured like some orchid in a nursery; otherwise it was unwise to use a first round (and fourth) pick on him. He has had a year to get acclimated in a small way to life in the NFL, so the points about transitioning from high school, dorm life, and so on are kind of inconsequential anyway, as about half of all students go through this process. And I'm sure he has received plenty of coaching from the Packers staff already.
So if he looks like he may be ready during the preseason and outperforms the competition, then there shouldn't be a problem penciling him in as the backup.
PeteK
May 23, 2021 at 12:48 pm
Yes, but let's not forget that he did not play in a major conference, so might need more time to develop and sitting behind a HOF should be advantageous. However, to your point , he is going to be playing on a very good team contrary to most first round QBs.
Stroh
May 23, 2021 at 06:15 pm
Oh I'm well aware Love didn't play in a major college conference.
jannesbjornson
May 23, 2021 at 05:33 pm
Rodgers could easily have started in 2007. Ted could have moved Farve for picks, but that is not the Packer Way.
Stroh
May 23, 2021 at 06:18 pm
Yes in '07, Rodgers could have started that was his 3rd season. That became obvious when Rodgers took over for Favre vs Dallas. And the Packers probably knew or at least suspected even before that.
BBlake
May 23, 2021 at 12:44 pm
Every young QB is going to have some growing pains, some more than others. Some are ready to start immediately, others take a few years. We shall see where Love fits into the grand scheme of things.
greengold
May 23, 2021 at 01:24 pm
Ach... Just give it to the kid & let ‘er rip!!!
All this back & forth. Forcing Jordan Love to sit could also inhibit growth & experience. He’s already had 1 solid year PLUS playoffs, watching a SB winning QB and 2 time NFL MVP, win his 3rd MVP. How many Rookie QBs get to see THAT???
Let him challenge for the starting spot. If he wins it outright, off you go! I have WAY more confidence in that over another scheduled year of sitting. He’s ready, from what he’s said in his most recent interviews, and he wants to be starting.
Matt LaFleur knows how to coach a QB. He wanted to coach Jordan Love, quite a lot. Guiding Ryan & Rodgers to MVP seasons is a testament to LaFleur’s QB coaching effectiveness. There is tape of Jordan Love floating out there from “Armed & Dangerous Football Camp,” which was held this offseason. He makes, literally, every throw. Go check it out.
I have zero fear choosing the path where Love takes us to and wins this next Super Bowl, with Matt LaFleur’s guidance, a solid running game, and an improved Defense & STs.
Bring it.
Since'61
May 23, 2021 at 03:39 pm
GG, I finally had a chance to watch Gaither’s highlights on the link you posted. It looks like he has great footwork, good hands and deceptive speed. His size could be a concern.
I’m not crazy about the Mountain West conference that he played in. I don’t think it’s a very strong conference so it’s difficult to assess the level of competition he faced in college.
Same is true for Love who also came out of the Mountain West conference.
In any case I think that Gaither has a shot to at least make the PS.
As for Love as the backup, I can see him sitting early in the season and if he develops well and Rodgers is gone he could move into the starting role later in the season or into the #2 role if Rodgers remains with the Packers.
Thanks, Since ‘61
Since'61
May 23, 2021 at 06:27 pm
double post, sorry.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
May 24, 2021 at 04:39 am
Well said and agree!
Leatherhead
May 23, 2021 at 01:28 pm
The Plan was to start Aaron Rodgers this season and back him up with Love.. , but that's changed now.
It looks to me like the Packers are preparing to go into the season with Bortles and Love competing and Bortles winning the nod. Rodgers will be traded to an AFC team so we don't have to play him more than once unless we meet in the Super Bowl
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I do have to point this out. Last year, three QBs were taken in the top 5 picks or so. Love was taken towards the end of the first round., and Jalen Hurts was taken after Love. The other four QBs all started and played extensively. Herbert, Tua, and Hurts look like future stars to me.
And as much as we're all aware of not throwing rookie QBs into the fire, when you have success with Mahomes or Jackson or Josh Allen...... .it's not really a strong argument against expecting Love to start and play well. He has a strong team around him and I feel pretty confident he can handle a backup role this year.
Stroh
May 23, 2021 at 04:59 pm
Rodgers IS NOT getting traded! Nothing after that matters!
Leatherhead
May 23, 2021 at 05:42 pm
Only the Sith deal in absolutes. Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains is the truth.
Stroh
May 23, 2021 at 06:24 pm
The absolute truth is Rodgers doesn't want to be traded. And the Packers don't want to trade him... at least not this year and probably not next year either. Hence the absolute truth is he won't be traded.
jurp
May 23, 2021 at 06:35 pm
If Rodgers didn't want to be traded, then he would be actively refuting all of the rumors swirling around, in particular, saying something like "I have complete faith in Gutekunst building a roster, and in La Fleur coaching a team, that will take us to the Super Bowl. I am excited for this season to begin."
He's saying nothing, letting the rumors build up. He's certainly NOT refuting the one where he wants BG fired.
He, Is. Trying. To. Get. Traded.
Aplinal
May 24, 2021 at 02:32 am
Or he's trying to get a new deal with 2+ years guaranteed money?
Stroh
May 24, 2021 at 03:40 pm
He not refuting it because that would hurt his leverage in his complaint with the Packers. That's why he's doing it! Playing like he did and being MVP gives him a ton of leverage.
And if you listen to the people talking for him... AJ Hawk, Kuhn, James Jones... they are saying what Rodgers wants said. Otherwise they wouldn't be saying anything at all. If they speak outside what he wants he would cut them out, like he has his family. So when ghey say something you can bet it's what Rodgers wants them to say!
Leatherhead
May 23, 2021 at 07:17 pm
How do you know that? Where’s the trail of breadcrumbs?
I think the bigger pile of evidence says differently.
10ve 💚
May 23, 2021 at 11:11 pm
Stroh is confident if he states it often enough and loudly enough, then it will be true.
I would like Stroh's "facts" to be true, but until it happens, it has not happened.
Stroh
May 24, 2021 at 03:46 pm
No... I'm confident in what I say because I use my brains. As opposed to you letting others tell you what to think!
The fact is Rodgers buddies are talking for him. Listen to Kuhn, Hawk and James Jones. You can bet they are saying what Rodgers wants said. And no one besides them has actually spoken to Rodgers or the situation!
Those are all the facts you need, if you THINK a little.
Since'61
May 23, 2021 at 06:30 pm
Actually, once you eliminate the impossible whatever remains is therefore a possibility. Thanks, Since '61
Leatherhead
May 23, 2021 at 07:13 pm
Touche, 61.
Coldworld
May 24, 2021 at 08:54 am
But the possible can be very very improbable, almost infinitely so.
jannesbjornson
May 24, 2021 at 11:47 am
Quantum Physics
greengold
May 24, 2021 at 06:59 am
Cookie.
Since’61 bringing his A game.
stockholder
May 23, 2021 at 01:30 pm
Your First Sentence, said it all. The Jordan Love pick may be one of the most controversial Packer draft picks of all time. And thats exactly why it was a mistake. Was Love what was needed? NO. Controversial = suggests disagreement. Not unity. Gute has split Packer Nation in 1/2. If people had their minds made up. It would have been a No Brainer. But the disappointment, only suggest Troubles ahead. The latest; shows the power struggles the Packers have internally. Something that would have taken only a phone call. The damage is done. It makes No difference to some. But for me. I just can't see keeping a guy in control. When he knew what would happen. He had Rodgers and This team digging their own grave. I've seen enough. Packer Fans Should be Tired of all this, and Worn Down from the lies. The prestige of the Green Bay packers is at stake. Not whether Love will be the QB. But how it was handed to him.
Coldworld
May 23, 2021 at 04:41 pm
I am tired of this ^
Johnblood27
May 23, 2021 at 05:16 pm
Rodgers sycophant rants.
Im sick of all the "Players need to feel loved" crap. They are professionals with a very strong Union that negotiated extremely high wages for their PROFESSIONAL careers as PLAYERS.
Shut up and fulfill your contract and PLAY FOOTBALL.
jannesbjornson
May 23, 2021 at 05:43 pm
That's pretty much the story when you review the past 10 years. They never moved into 5th or 6th gear, just playing for the show.
Oppy
May 24, 2021 at 06:31 pm
Literally learned nothing / remembers nothing from the last time the Packers had a QB controversy.
Absolutely. Nothing.
Duneslick
May 23, 2021 at 01:33 pm
I dont agree with you. If you give up a first and a fourth for a QB he should be backing up in at least the second year or you gave up way too much. This statement just isnt true at all. "In college, players who are pro-ready are matched up against kids fresh out of high school." Only if they are an exceptional freshman and was not redshirted does this happen
Pro-LifeMatters
May 23, 2021 at 02:33 pm
I don't care if Love's the starter, backup or third string QB so long as he earns whatever string he becomes and it's not simply handed to him like the Brewets did with their shortstop Urias and created a big ole mess.
TarynsEyes
May 23, 2021 at 03:03 pm
With the strength in the belief that this team is an SB contender based on the previous two seasons, and after the first which is when Love was selected with such strong belief by switching 1st round picks and tossing in a 4th, there can't be and shouldn't be any hesitation to have Love start if Rodgers isn't in GB, and that is regardless of Love not suiting up at all last season.
Rodgers fell to the Packers and pressure on him to start was negated. Love was drafted as a must-have and is a serious testament against the FO to not have the trust in Love to use him if Rodgers isn't back at season's start.
Do I WANT love to be starting? No. If Rodgers isn't then the 'must-have' drafted guy must be the starter. I have no reason to believe Bortles will do more than Love. Either will likely be at best a 6-8 game-winner. At least gets to show what may be for 10+ seasons or the years left on his rookie contract.
CheesyTex
May 23, 2021 at 04:34 pm
"if Rodgers isn't then the 'must have' drafted guy must be the starter."
IMO the coaches should play the QB they feel gives them the best chance to win now.
Did some research on Bortles' 5 year statistics with Jacksonville, and they are quite impressive -- with two glaring exceptions -- interceptions and fumbles. His apologists argue that the turnovers were high because he often played from behind on poor teams with poor QB protection. In the playoff year with success generally attributed to Jax D, Bortles played very well in the playoffs (no turnovers) with 2 wins and a narrow loss to N.E.
So is it possible he could resurrect his career in GB? Who knows, but at any rate it feels good to me to have an experienced QB in the mix, especially on a team-friendly contract.
Oppy
May 24, 2021 at 06:34 pm
*an experienced QB in the mix -who also has an intimate working knowledge of this offense-
NoNonsense
May 23, 2021 at 04:34 pm
Does anyone really know how the Jordan Love pick came to be? We already know Gute tried to trade up for Justin Jefferson but couldn't get ahead of the Vikings who selected him at 22. That left Brandon Aiyuk as the last remaining 1st round WR GB was interested in. Once he made it past 24 the Vikings had pick 25 and were not gonna take another WR.
My belief is GB traded up to 26 before the Vikings traded pick 25 to the 49ERS who then took Aiyuk. Once they agreed to the trade up to 26 they were kind of stuck there so they took the next best player left on their board, Jordan Love instead of reaching for a lower graded player like Claypool or Pittman to satisfy the WR need.
Everybody assumes that Gute made the trade to 26 after the 49ers took Aiyuk because he just had to have Love.
So what's worse to everyone? That Gute traded a 4th round pick to move up for Jordan Love because he just had to have him or that he traded up to take Aiyuk and the Vikings and 49ers foiled his plan and he had to go to plan B which turned out to be Jordan Love.
This is the only explanation that makes sense to me why the selection of Love wasn't communicated to Aaron Rodgers ahead of the pick. I don't think it's some kind of grand conspiracy by Gute to undermine and get rid of Rodgers like Stockholder seems to think.
I obviously don't know exactly how it all unfolded but to me, this seems to be the best explanation of why Jordan Love got drafted where he did.
Johnblood27
May 23, 2021 at 05:20 pm
You are a genius and a level headed poster who has no chance of getting ant traction on this site... LOL!
TarynsEyes
May 23, 2021 at 06:30 pm
It's my understanding the Packers traded up to ensure Indy didn't get Love, regardless of what Minn was going to do or not or any other scenario. GB wanted Love and felt a trade-up in the second round wouldn't have been possible. If Love negated any other player, WR, of 1sy round quality, the FO showed otherwise bypassing many other WR's of quality value in the second round and every round after that. The FO wanted Love and they made sure they got him.
Coldworld
May 24, 2021 at 09:00 am
The team made it clear that they didn’t feel excited about the WR value by the time their first pick came within reach. Linking picks late in the second round and after is a leap too far.
10ve 💚
May 23, 2021 at 11:17 pm
Wow! I never thought of this angle.
But now that you have put it out there, it makes perfect sense!
Stroh
May 23, 2021 at 05:06 pm
Rodgers was not ready to start in yr 2 either but if Favre got hurt he would have been pushed into it. His falling is meaningless. Love isn't ready in yr 2 either, but if Rodgers is injured (since he's NOT getting traded) Love will be pushed into it, unless it's late in the season and the Packers are in the hunt for homefield advantage, in which case Bartlesville would give the best chance.
jannesbjornson
May 23, 2021 at 05:48 pm
In this Scenario, If Bortles starts over Love, fire Gutedkunst and clean haus.
croatpackfan
May 24, 2021 at 04:15 am
And "waste another 3 years of Aaron Rodgers" making him NFCCGs he would lose because he is not the Man for clutch moments!
Oppy
May 24, 2021 at 06:38 pm
When you have a backup QB with years of NFL starting experience, who performed generally well, who also happens to have operated in the same offense this team runs... what you are suggesting is silly.
jhtobias
May 23, 2021 at 02:39 pm
You might be right that Jordan Love should not be the back up this yr I understand your thinking if your belief is Aaron will be back. What if and who knows at this point if Aaron is not back whether it be holdout, out right retirement because they won't trade him, or if he is traded because the distraction is overwhelming ?
My theory is if Rodgers is not back for any of these reasons Love should actually start because the timeline super bowl aspirations are dead in the water which is fine . the team needs to put the kid in the fire at this point whether he succeeds or not because expectations for the team drastically change .
Also the fallout from having Blake Bortles as your starter with no Arod is a path no one wants to see and I'm not talking wins and loses that is obvious what will happen I'm talking about confidence of the team fans and of course Love himself
Coldworld
May 23, 2021 at 04:46 pm
I think that if Rodgers is gone or sitting at home you do what is best for Love. I’ve no idea what the insiders think that is, but it might be starting him or it might be starting Bottles and transitioning. Nothing else matters other than getting the most out of Love, whatever that proves to be, if Rodgers is not starting.
mnbadger
May 23, 2021 at 10:02 pm
nothing else matters but winning, correct? The discussion should be about how best to do that! FAS! GPG!
Coldworld
May 24, 2021 at 09:03 am
I’d say that the primary goal is to ensure the best opportunity for the Franchise to win not just today but over the next few years. In the context of Love, that means managing his transition in the best interests of his long term performance.
Turophile
May 24, 2021 at 07:19 am
Bottom line, if Rodgers is out any length of time this team is not going to thrive with Bortles under center. If you can't crack a starting lineup after six years (despite being the 1st QB taken in 2014), you probably never will.
The Packers are on the clock, given the situation with Rodgers, so the team has to find out what they have in Love pretty sharpish. If he ISN'T the answer, the Packers have to quickly create a new succession plan, before Rodgers goes elsewhere or retires and leaves a huge QB hole in the team.
Coldworld
May 24, 2021 at 09:07 am
We likely won’t know if he is the answer immediately anyway. It’s not a one game and done proposition. Manning was awful in his first year. Rodgers wasn’t wonderful in his first year as a starter.
Leatherhead
May 24, 2021 at 09:52 am
Well, that’s a spotty piece of history.
“If you can’t crack a starting lineup......?” Bortles has started 73 games. At the same age, that’s about what Rodgers had, too.
If you have an average QB with an average team around him, with an average coach.....you should be an average team, 7-9 to 9-7. Bortles can be that guy. So can Love. If you think we have a little better than average team, and a little bit better than average coach, then there’s no reason to not believe we can compete for the division title.
Turophile
May 24, 2021 at 11:00 am
Yeah, he's been tried, and failed. If Bortles was any good someone would have found a starter spot for him, by now.
Love is the one who needs a chance now. He may get better with reps, he may not, but it's him who needs them so the Packers can find out what they've got.
Alberta_Packer
May 23, 2021 at 03:24 pm
I believe that the article reflects the Packers thinking regarding the development of Jordan Love i.e., they see this year as primarily a developmental one for him - not a playing one. First, what is most important for Love, is receiving as many reps as possible during the OTAs' and training camp. Regardless if Rodgers is with the team or not, Bortles was brought-in as the back-up QB, or possibly the starter, depending on how the Rodgers soap drama plays out.
What should not be dismissed is how many good/great college QBs, who are thrust into the first year starting role for an NFL team, fail or are ruined. For every Justin Herbert - there is a Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn, Johnny Manziel etc. Certainly there are far more who fail than succeed as a first-year starter. Also it is not the Packers m.o. to toss their QBs immediately into the fire. Of course they didn't with Rodgers but also Brian Brohm, Matt Flynn and Bret Hundley.
Historically, the Packers have practiced what they preach regarding the development of their QBs. I see no reason why Love will be an exception. That being so, I expect that Love will receive a lot of pre-season work and snaps and perhaps some regular season spot play. However, I'm not expecting his 'coming out' until the 2022-23 season.
Thegreatreynoldo
May 24, 2021 at 02:30 am
Quinn, Manziel, and Russell did not really play as rookies. Of your four examples, only Ryan Leaf as the #2 overall pick played immediately. Russell as the #1 overall pick started just the last game of the season for the 4-11 Raiders and barely played otherwise in his rookie year.
Alberta_Packer
May 24, 2021 at 02:47 pm
Actually all played as rookies - with the common denominator "not well.' None were prepared to play in their rookie year - with Russell missing training camp (contract holdout) - Manziel (immaturity and partying) and Quinn (lack of talent). However Russell and Manziel did make starts in their rookie year and Quinn his debut.
Fabio
May 23, 2021 at 04:17 pm
After this article and all these comments, (to develop the Q it takes 2/3 years on the bench) I wonder even more why I chose Jordan in the 1st round ....
Coldworld
May 23, 2021 at 04:47 pm
High upside, wasn’t expecting to need to start him early. Ideal fit ... on paper.
Aplinal
May 24, 2021 at 02:45 am
I think they chose him as the 2-3 year cover for Aaron as the previous two seasons had seen some decline in his play, and they were tied to a contract which effectively prohibited them from trading AR until 2022. The idea was to sit Love while he was coached up and trade AR away some time after this upcoming season. AR confounded this by having one of the best seasons of his career. For the FRANCHISE, it made sense. The FO's job is to look ahead. GB has never been an "all in" team, but I would argue that securing the top FAs on the team NOW, shows the necessary commitment to winning it all in the next two years
Fabio
May 24, 2021 at 06:45 am
If it was drafted because there were doubts about the reliability of AR now the doubts should have been dispelled after the MVP season. The truth is, Gute wanted to switch from AR in 2022 (to his liking) without having to contend with the character of AR.
Gute challenged him and AR won .... and now Gute doesn't know what to do because he knows that if he swaps AR he will have to rely on a modest Q (Bortles) because Jordan is not ready (will he never be?) And will become the GM joke of the whole NFL
Stroh
May 24, 2021 at 03:51 pm
Outstanding. Very well said and. 100% spot on!
egbertsouse
May 23, 2021 at 04:23 pm
Uh, uh. No way. I'm not buying the total premise of this article. if your 1st round QB can't beat out an unemployed rag arm like Blake Bortles for the backup spot, you have a major problem. A "Brian Brohm not beating out 7th round Matt Flynn" level problem. In fact, I'm starting to have Brian Brohm and Rich Campbell flashbacks at this point.
jont
May 23, 2021 at 04:24 pm
I continue to believe the Love pick would not have been so controverisal if Gute had done something about WR or DT or ILB with other picks or free agency. As it was, with pretty every move aimed at next year or a better sub, using two picks to get a QB and a second round pick on a back, seemed just too far away from due consideration of what was needed to get over the top.
That aside, whether it's Love or Bortles (my god...) we're looking at a major drop off.
Stroh
May 23, 2021 at 05:40 pm
It was what was needed in the long term. Rodgers coming off 2 subpar seasons. Love was necessary long term. Salary cap constraints meant signing Williams to a 2nd contract wasn't happening, do drafting Dillon was necessary long term.
It becomes obvious when you open your eyes.
Thr Packers GM us trained to think long-term, not immediate gratification!
Rodgers having an exemplary bounce back year and winning the MVP has simply altered that plan and Rodgers now has the most leverage he has to get what he wants. To finish his career as a Packer and win another SB.
HE'D doesn't want to be traded and the Packers don't want to trade him, at least not for the time being. Maybe after he starts to show his level of play is decreasing again.
jurp
May 23, 2021 at 06:42 pm
Given how not-great AR plays in NFCCGs, winning a Super Bowl with AR will depend entirely on a very, very good defense. The same kind of defense that will win a Super Bowl for Love.
Thegreatreynoldo
May 24, 2021 at 02:33 am
I don't think Wolf trained fans that way. TT did.
Coldworld
May 24, 2021 at 09:14 am
It’s not that long ago that many here were debating if Rodgers could physically get through a season. Now just as many see him as indestructible.
Stroh
May 23, 2021 at 04:25 pm
Love ABSOLUTELY must be the backup!! He needs all the practice reps he can get. Assuming Rodgers returns he'll take most snaps especially once the season starts. That leaves precious few even for the backup and next to none for the #3 QB. As the backup, he'll also run the scout team reps. Which can be invaluable...
The writer is just wrong!! It's essential Love is the #2 QB!
BrettGB
May 23, 2021 at 08:18 pm
I don't think even the #2 QB gets many reps at all during the season. If the 2 is a veteran like Bortles, they could simply give scout team to Love, can't they? Your point is a good one, though, he needs all the reps he can get. I do think that's part of the reason Bortles was signed, he's played a ton and doesn't need as many reps to be ready.
Stroh
May 24, 2021 at 03:55 pm
Pretty sure my comment said all that. But yes the #2 gets very few reps. The backup get the majority of his reps from the scout team. So whoever is running scout team is the backup, regardless what the depth chart reads.
Packers0808
May 23, 2021 at 05:15 pm
What happens if Love gets injured?
Johnblood27
May 23, 2021 at 05:26 pm
Love hurt(s)?
Nazareth says so...
Love stinks?
J Geils says so...
All you need is Love...
Beatles say so...
Packers0808
May 23, 2021 at 07:24 pm
Don't forget two of the Beatles are dead, will Love be before he even starts!
Leatherhead
May 23, 2021 at 07:25 pm
Love means nothing
Roger Federer says so....
Buckywunder
May 23, 2021 at 06:51 pm
Just a reminder that though Peyton Manning may have been terrible as a rookie I seem to recall that they beat a Favre-led Packers team at their peak.
Brutal game if I’m remembering correctly.
But your point about Jordan Love is on the mark…
BrettGB
May 23, 2021 at 08:22 pm
Excellent points. I really appreciate you shedding light on why this can be a good idea, and the reasons why, which a lot of fans dismiss as excuses, ignoring all the quarterbacks who are rushed to play and crash. Some make it, but most don't. Some players are more "pro-ready" going into the draft than others as well. Sitting on the bench is not a bad thing, and it's also why Love replacing Rodgers was never going to happen overnight. It was always going to be a few years, if at all. Hopefully though, this is not the year.
Roadrunner23
May 23, 2021 at 08:31 pm
You make some good points Bruce except one.
Love isn’t going to develop in the MLF offense by running the scout team.
Slim11
May 24, 2021 at 10:58 am
I haven't seen anyone mention this and I hope this is in play for Jordan Love.
During Rodgers' first two seasons, he got the majority of his snaps on the scout team. Hopefully, Love is doing the same. Rodgers, by his own admission, prepared himself weekly for the scout team QB role. But, on his own, he took the opportunity to call a play from the Packers' playbook to show off what he could do.
Time will tell...
Stroh
May 24, 2021 at 03:57 pm
That and the offseason are how Rodgers developed behind Favre!
Thegreatreynoldo
May 24, 2021 at 02:59 am
I didn't think I had an opinion on this issue, but after reading the article and every comment, I find that I at least lean in one direction but I don't have a strong opinion. Previously, I didn't think there was a right answer as to whether it was better to go 4-13 with Love or 6-11 with Bortles. I don't care if the numbers are 8-9 with Love and 10-7 with Bortles - that makes no difference to me. Now I lean towards playing Love if AR departs, one way or another.
I think one needs to know Jordan Love's personality and also know his current stage of development. I don't know whether he is mentally tough (don't want to ruin his confidence) and I don't know if he needs to really focus on his footwork and throwing motion. He's been a pro and there are still QB camps out there some of which should meet with GB's approval (we know Tonyan worked out with Kittle and his off-season coach, for example).
True, 3rd string QBs get very few reps from what I've been able to glean from media types who attend practices. Now, it may be that LaFleur won't treat the #3 QB that way if it is Love.
If Love isn't wholly overwhelmed by starting, I'd probably throw him out there. If he isn't ready due to his mechanics, his confidence, or his ability to read a defense, then I wouldn't.
stockholder
May 24, 2021 at 12:22 pm
I'm sure the wins and Loses don't matter to Gute or Murphy either. Gute's drafts reflected it. The job has been handed to Love. They now need a cushion between Love and Rodgers. Not because of him being ready. But because Rodgers was so great. The pressure must be taken off Love and they know it.
Oppy
May 24, 2021 at 06:50 pm
You understand that GB is the one place in the NFL where you can literally say that winning football is the only thing that matters, right?
It's a not for profit organization. Everytime there's some fan who continually espouses that the Packers are nickle and diming everything, that they don't care about winning as long as the season tickets are sold, etc, etc.. it's a glaring indication they don't understand that outside of the need to have enough money in the bank to ensure their long-term existence, there's no motive to make moves based on revenue at the expense of winning.
Packers organization exists to play football at a high level. They try to win football games, invest in their facilities to give their players, coaches and staff the best opportunity to win football games, make financial investments to ensure that if league revenue sharing changes/ends they can continue to operate so they can continue to exist to win football games, and everything left over after expenses gets rolled back into the community via several avenues.
The Packers exist to win football games. There's no owner making decisions simply because a better bottom line means a new yacht this year.
Leatherhead
May 24, 2021 at 04:24 pm
I’d play Bortles and if he turned it over or just sucked, I’d try Love.
I think that Bortles can do what is needed. I just want to win the division.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
May 24, 2021 at 09:04 pm
Rarely disagree Leatherhead, but I want so much more than winning another meaningless division. The Packers seemingly have a lot of talent and are positioned to win for several years. If Love starts I am ready to sacrifice 2021 if that is what it takes for Love to be playoff bound. I feel highly confident most of us GBP fans 2 seasons from now will never look back at the Rodgers era. I believe Love is going to be an exciting QB.
greengold
May 24, 2021 at 09:18 pm
THIS YEAR MAN!
Give me the kid who can spin it, a badass defense & some money in my pocket ALL DAY with the way this Packers team is set up.
Turophile
May 24, 2021 at 04:58 am
This is a long article that can be boiled down to saying A comes before B..................which it does, unless you are B.A.Barracus.
If however, you want Bortles to get more reps and more preseason action than Love, well, my take is that if you do that, how are you going to know what you have in Love, who didn't even have a preseason or attend camp last year ?
We KNOW Bortles isn't a starter-level QB (he's been around since 2014), but Love might be. If you spend a first round pick on a QB, you have to let him on the field enough to be able to work out if he is improving, or not.
Given the situation with Rodgers, working out a succession plan from him is time-critical and Bortles isn't a credible successor. Give him (Bortles) just enough snaps and preseason action to begin his familiarisation, but give Love more, to find out if he could be 'the man' of the future.
If the Packers had plenty of time to bring on Love I'd tend to agree with Bruce Irons, but as it stands, I'm all for giving Love a good share of the reps in TC and preseason this year, both to find out what the Packers have in him and because reps are a key part of the development of a young QB.
Rodgers could well be gone after 2021 (frightening thought), time is marching on relentlessly. Love is not some back of the draft punt on a QB, he cost a 1st and 4th to acquire, and needs developing asap.
Love is already in his second season so at least he should have a much better idea of the playbook than a rookie. Finally, the idea of putting Bortles ahead of Love even if Love is playing better, is bonkers.
Most 1st round QBs get chucked in the deep end as rookies, sink or swim. Love sat last year and probably will this year. If his confidence is so fragile he cannot be trusted to manage some game-time this preseason, he is probably not the starter you are looking for.
We are truly well into the deadzone part of the year. Training camp cannot come fast enough.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
May 24, 2021 at 08:48 am
One thing that isnt being factored in at all from this thread is should Rodger's get traded and say a 3rd year Drew Lock, or a Bridgewater comes over as part of the trade package.
With that aside I believe at the very most Love needs the most reps he can get this year. The best QB should start, and at the very least Love has to be the backup QB.
greengold
May 24, 2021 at 11:35 am
"By Brian Gutekunst's own admission, Love still 'has a long way to go.'"
Have you ever played poker, Bruce? Holy crap. The team has clearly been posturing with their remarks throughout this entire offseason. As they should. They are working on a trade that could well go down as one of the biggest in sports history.
"He's not a bust, yet..."
Never mind. Give the kid the rock. Aaron Love is ready. You are not. It doesn't fit your comfort zone. It doesn't fit your timetable.
It might fit the Packers' timetable. We'll find out soon enough.
Anybody here put it past the Packers Front Office that maybe know a thing or two about how to play poker? From my perspective, they pushed "all in" on Draft Day 1 2020, and they still haven't blinked, more than a year later.
What precipitated that? First, there was the squabbling over AR's freedom to call audibles. Then there were the sideline tantrums. Those were in the press and in full view of the fans on game day. Behind the scenes, there was a "passive-aggressive style," AR employed, according to Bob McGinn, the same passive-aggressive style that got Mike McCarthy fired.
Maybe Matt LaFleur said, "you know what? I'm done with this shit." Jordan Love had multiple interviews with the Green Bay Packers, and with multiple coaches on the Packers team prior to Gutekunst trading the R4 to move up 5 spots to take him at #26 in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Did the Packers Front Office blink? No.
They then chose a RB at #62, AJ Dillon. Followed by a TE/Swiss Army knife at #94 in Josiah Deguara.
Did the Packers Front Office blink? No.
They rode out the season as best they could in 2020. Aaron Rodgers, full of spite, went on to win the MVP, while losing another opportunity to advance to the Super Bowl, his 8th such loss in the last 10 years.
2021 NFL Draft Day 1 was special. Our Packers had this to deal with: "Reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers is so disgruntled with the Green Bay Packers that he has told some within the organization that he does not want to return to the team, league and team sources told ESPN on Thursday." - Adam Schefter.
The Packers chose CB Eric Stokes with pick #29 of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Did the Packers Front Office blink? No.
This offseason, Aaron Rodgers refused to help the team with a restructure of his contract. The Packers FO offered him an extension that he requested, instead. Aaron Rodgers said "No deal." Trips by Murphy, LaFleur and Gutekunst in attempts to convince him to return in 2021 were to no avail.
The Packers were going to trade him in the offseason, then backed off. "It's been a shit show ever since. And within the last week (leading up to the draft) Rodgers told the team that trade or no trade, he's not coming. back. Buckle up folks." - Trey Wingo
Aaron Rodgers time in Green Bay is over. The Packers haven't blinked. They remain steadfast in their holding pattern until after June 1st.
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I'm reviewing an article written in the Toronto Sun by John Kryk some time ago just to refresh my memory, but it is loaded with pertinent info on this situation (I'll paraphrase, including some thoughts):
1. Why the leak hours prior to the draft? It was for AR's benefit. That info hurt the Packers' negotiating position in trade talks. Seems to me, the leak got the public behind the trade idea for AR - at least, aware of it as a possibility. It was a PR move to force the Packers' hand. Forcing a trade is his only real leverage outside of retiring.
2. AR has real resentment towards the Packers FO. Thinking he is always given too little to perform with. We've seen the sniping comments at LaFleur & Gutekunst in the public domain since season's end.
Has anyone thought there might be resentment from the Packers FO? Resentment that AR always wants to throw the ball, pad his own stats, with a healthy, top-tier RB group and a top-tier OL? Resentment that AR continues to check out of called running plays, or game plans that call for use of the run extensively???
Has anyone here considered that?
Bob McGinn (granted, he's a bit on the weird side, yet remains highly regarded for his reporting) said recently, "If the Packers do indeed want to become a running team next season, they surely wouldn't want Aaron Rodgers rocking the boat and becoming more difficult to coach."
What about some of these other players Brian Gutekunst has acquired to help AR, but AR may or may not give his blessing to in throwing them the football? Think there might be some resentment there from the other side? I do.
3. This is awfully close to the Tom Brady wanting out of NE and the Peyton Manning wanting out of IND scenarios, with the exception that neither were traded. AR wants out NOW, and he knows the only way to get there is to make this gigantic stink we have had to experience, making us want to hurl for weeks.
4. AR forcing a trade now puts the Packers at a disadvantage, with TB returning most of their starters from the 2020 SB team, and Tom Brady owning supremacy over the NFC. Perfectly spiteful, again.
5. Nearly every big name player who has made it publicly known they want to be traded has been traded. Antonio Brown somehow did it twice...
IMO, the Packers went all-in back in April of 2020. They have not blinked once. They drafted a QB they believe in to be QB1 for another decade or more. If anybody can guide Jordan Love through this whole shit storm a year earlier than expected, it is Matt LaFleur, and the Packers may realize enormous success as a result.
This is only going to work for Brian Gutekunst, Matt LaFleur, and quite possibly, Mark Murphy, "only if Love can play," according to McGinn. "If he can't, (they) ultimately might be gone."
I'd call that some pretty high stakes poker...
Go. Pack. Go.
Leatherhead
May 24, 2021 at 12:30 pm
This is a pretty good recap, GG
I thought signing Bakhtiari, and bringing back Jones, was a clear sign we wanted to make one last run, but apparently Rodgers doesn’t want that. Fine.
Based on the posts here, lots of people aren’t ready to move past Denial yet. That’s unfortunate.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
May 24, 2021 at 12:46 pm
Love the time and energy you put into this GG. Totally agree!
SwedeBayPacker
May 24, 2021 at 12:47 pm
I really don't get why everyone is so agitated. The longer we take to develop Love, the better his possibilities of becoming great becomes. Sure, it's not guaranteed, but raising the odds is never wrong, especially when we have the luxury of not playing him immediately.
Look no further than Joe Burrow. The Bungals screwed him big time, and yeah, their garbage o-line was probably to blame, but that aside, he was mediocre at best. I'll take developing a rookie as far as possible before he plays over throwing him in the deep end immediately.
Just my two cents. Time will tell if it was the right decision in the end.
LambeauPlain
May 24, 2021 at 01:23 pm
I could be wrong, but it seems the Packers have seen the same improvement in Love from College to the NFL as was his history from HS to College.
Love was a talented QB as a freshman in HS, but he was told underclassmen did not start there. He finally proved to be the full time starter as a senior and put up incredible numbers.
He redshirted at Utah State as a freshman. His second year s a RS Freshman, he played in spot duty to start the season, but was named starter the last 6 games. As a RS sophomore he had an outstanding season. His RS Junior season was not as good...because his team lost ALL starting receivers, several lineman and coaching shakeup as Gary Andersen was hired. He still led the team to a 7-6 record with all the upheaval.
I think the coaches were ready for him to be the back up after Boyle was allowed to walk, IMO. Love is still just 22 years old. And if Rodgers is gone, I expect a great TC competition between Bortles and Love. Bortles was a great move given the Rodgers drama.
greengold
May 24, 2021 at 01:30 pm
Thanks for the kind words... I really just wanted to wrap my brain around what we do know, what has been said & done, and how the lay of the land might really look here for the Packers.
Swede, you bring up a good point about Burrow, and you nipped the biggest point regarding his lack of success in the bud immediately. I would only add, Burrow literally walked in as a rookie, the #1 overall pick from Love's draft class. CIN had a garbage OL, and the kid was running for his life, as you mentioned.
Jordan Love is not walking in as a rookie. He's had one full year, plus playoffs to sit back and watch how it is done by a 2 time MVP QB, while he notched his 3rd MVP in real time. I can't think of another QB who had that luxury walking in as a former 1st Round pick for their team.
Another point of emphasis that differs from Joe Burrow's situation is that Jordan Love, with 1 solid year learning LaFleur's offense up and down, has a Super Bowl contending team all around him, at nearly every position. There is immense depth on this team offensively, and the defense has been bolstered yet again with some exceptional additions. That defense, which was already pretty good, now has a new coordinator, and a motivated team of players to run what he wants, with another year of experience at the NFL level in Gary, Savage, Keke, Martin, Barnes. Adding Stokes and Slaton, along with Jean-Charles, should help that unit to a new level of play with Joe Barry showing them the way, instead of the tired, challenged Mike Pettine.
Collectively, combined with a fierce rushing attack and improved STs, Jordan Love won't be forced to wear the Superman cape.
A lot of people wonder about Jordan Love, and I can't knock anyone for doing so. However, it would be nice to get a gauge of who he is as a starting QB in the NFL. Few could know, or offer a knowing opinion to help shed some real light on the subject.
How about Marc Ross, former assistant GM of the New York Giants?
I encourage anyone really interested to go to Packer Report and read Mark Eckel's fine piece that came out just hours ago on this very subject. You might be surprised to learn he would take Jordan Love over more than half of the starting QBs in the NFL today.
https://247sports.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/Article/Where-does-Jordan-Lo...
We can win with Jordan Love. With Matt LaFleur's guidance? Sign me up for that.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
May 24, 2021 at 09:08 pm
GG
Are you secretly Brian G?
Love your comments, energy, research, time, and your enthusiasm.!
greengold
May 24, 2021 at 09:24 pm
No, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
LambeauPlain
May 24, 2021 at 01:43 pm
Good comments G&G. However....
" I can't think of another QB who had that luxury walking in as a former 1st Round pick for their team."
Not to quibble, but I can. His name is Aaron Rodgers.
greengold
May 24, 2021 at 02:38 pm
I meant for one being pressed into duty. Make no bones about it, Aaron Rodgers is forcing Jordan Love into the action.
Of course there is a possibility Blake Bortles starts the season, and works through maybe the first 1/4 or 1/2 the season. Something tells me that won't be the case.
Jordan Love is a fierce competitor. Cool as a cucumber. He is not fazed by this. I'm sure he saw much of it coming, having been in that QB room, possibly having had some private conversations with Matt LaFleur.
Cool! I just found the article I wanted to reference in Forbes: February 9th by Schlomo Sprung (unable to post link since I already popped one into this discussion).
In it he shared that "Jordan Love said he'd be more than ready to take on the starter role if Rodgers wasn't on the roster next season."
"I'm super confident in my abilities," Love said the previous week on a promo tour for trading card company, Panini. "Whenever that time is, I'm confident I'll be able to step in and do what I gotta do."
Hey, how about that? Some actual first hand comments from our Packers QB??? Pretty good article. Love goes on to talk about some visualization tools Rodgers shared with him. Look it up if you get a chance.
If they trade AR, I'm not worried in the least about JL taking over and being very, very successful.
BTW, as my friends here probably already know, I like to research. Just saw in another article by John Egan (for Zone Coverage) from May 20th, that JL has been working out this offseason with none other than WR Equanimeous St. Brown.
huh.... How cool is THAT? News to me. I had not seen that reported anywhere else.
I just saw ESB posted a video of himself catching a pass from Jordan Love in their workouts together on his Instagram page. ha. wow. Good to know.
CoachDino
May 24, 2021 at 03:35 pm
IMO this article is wrong due to things already discussed and moves already made.
the most obvious being that they traded Tim Boyle. If the Packers thought it best for JL not to be the Back-up they wouldn't of done that. That's the most obvious point.
The other obvious point, the reason why they traded him. The 3rd string QB doesn't get reps with the offense but as the scout team QB, this has all been well documented right here by writers and posters. Maybe I missed this point argued in this article but it seems it was either dismissed or unknown by the writer.
It really does begin and end with that. The rest of the points made are all well documented sad stories in the NFl and should be taken into consideration. News flash, he wasn't he back-up last year sure for some of the reasons layed out but mostly for the opposite reason, he wasn't good enough.
Even the points made don't always fit the scenario. Not all QBs are alike, not all QBs drafted go to the same type of team. For all the QBs who started their rookie season and never made it there are the flip side of those who did. Aikman and manning both made it. They were on terrible teams but they gained the experience that drastically steepened the learning curve. Some Qbs will make it or not independent of when they start. All this is for a different article.
Bottom line IMO Love already had his get your feet wet season, just as planned though stunted with COVID, It's time for him to be the back-up and obtain all the back-up reps in prep for when he becomes the starter.
Not a bad article just written 1 year too late.
Slim11
May 24, 2021 at 06:06 pm
Slight correction here...
Boyle was not re-signed as a free agent. If I was in Boyle's shoes, I wouldn't remain in Green Bay knowing Love was on the roster and would likely be the #2 QB. After two seasons as Rodgers' back up, why remain knowing you're going to be the #3?