If there was any doubt about where the 2023 Green Bay Packers are headed, Tuesday's trade deadline move signaled the front office's confidence in the team. Shipping away useful cornerback Rasul Douglas in a league where a team can never have enough quality in the secondary for a draft pick was GM Brian Gutekunst waving the white flag high over Lambeau Field.
It's tough to blame him. Matt LaFleur's team started the season in a promising fashion, with wins in two of its first three games. More importantly, newly installed starting quarterback Jordan Love looked up for the challenge, throwing seven touchdowns against just one interception.
But what came next dampened any optimism, around both the team and Love, rather quickly. The Packers lost in Week 4 to kick off a four-game losing streak that is still active heading into Week 9. Love has regressed, turning into a turnover machine. And the offense, the unit LaFleur has leaned on in recent seasons to drive the team's success, is floundering.
The Detroit Lions are poised to run away with the NFC North at 6-2. But even with the Minnesota Vikings losing QB Kirk Cousins for the season, remaining in the fight to grab one of the NFC's last playoff spots feels out of reach for Green Bay. And that starts with the man who patiently waited his turn, and is now hoping his chance won't slip away.
Will Packers choose Love?
When Green Bay agreed to cut ties with long-time starting QB Aaron Rodgers this offseason, part of the reason they felt comfortable making the move was because they had been preparing Jordan Love for years. Drafted in the first round of the 2020 draft, Love played sparingly over his first three NFL seasons behind Rodgers.
Once Rodgers decided it was time to move on, the Packers had their succession plan ready and waiting. This was the moment the team had accounted for three years earlier when drafting Love. The hope was the transition would be smooth, painless, much like when Rodgers took over for Brett Favre so many seasons ago.
Through eight weeks, that has not been the case.
Quarterbacks in their first starting role in the NFL are expected to struggle. First-round picks, a team hopes, will shorten that learning curve and achieve some success immediately. It's fair to expect a QB with a first-round pedigree who was given three full seasons to watch and learn from an all-time great to deliver results.
Love is not repaying that faith so far. Among qualifying passers, Love's QBR ranks 22nd out of 32, just ahead of New England Patriot Mac Jones. His 57.7% completion percentage is worse than that of the Carolina Panthers' Andy Dalton and Zach Wilson of the New York Jets.
Gutekunst expressed optimism about Love in recent comments. But the GM was also candid in stressing how important the next 10 games will be for Love and his future as the QB of the Packers.
Love isn't all you need
While the QB play has been spotty, it's worth pointing out that the Packers' young receivers have failed to deliver in 2023 as well.
Christian Watson seemed poised for a breakout year after finishing his rookie season strong. But the 2022 second-round pick has battled injuries all season and has just 11 catches in four games.
Fellow second-year wideout Romeo Doubs has 30 or fewer receiving yards in five of his seven games so far this season. Rookie Jayden Reed is coming off his best game in Week 8 after dismal back-to-back outings.
Mix in just 29 carries for injured Aaron Jones so far, and it's obvious why Love and the offense have been held under 20 points in three straight games.
No one expected Love to step in and be Rodgers in Year 1. But two wins in seven games wasn't the plan either. LaFleur and Gutekunst have plenty of questions to answer, most of them centered around the 2024 season.
It all starts with their hand-picked QB, and whether he can fill those big cleats.
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