The Green Bay Packers' gamble finally paid off. A few years ago, the Packers drafted Jordan Love despite having Aaron Rodgers still under contract. The idea was that Love would be ready by the time that Rodgers either retired or was traded… the latter of which happened last offseason. That's exactly what happened, as the young QB led the team to the playoffs, even securing a playoff win in the process.
Love's contract is about to expire soon as a member of the 2020 draft class. Because of that, both Love and the Packers have been discussing a contract extension. According to a report from Jeremy Fowler on Sportscenter, GM Brian Gutekunst wants a deal done soon. Why? Here's the reason why:
“Brian Gutekunst wants to get something done before training camp,” Fowler said. “Probably a little bit of pressure on him after the way Aaron Rodgers’ situation went years ago. They want a cleaner situation for his contract.”
Love just had one year left on his contract: this 2024 season, where he signed a one-year extension . A contract extension is urgently needed now, since would take a huge weight off of the front office's shoulder if that does happen. Gutekunst has already expressed this desire earlier this month, too.
“We’re in those conversations right now,” Gutekunst told 97.3 The Game. “The nice part about this is none of these things are always easy or fast, but both parties want the same thing. We’d like to get this done before training camp for sure. Both parties want to get a contract extension done.”
Jordan Love's upward trajectory
Packers fans naturally felt some trepidation when Rodgers was traded and Love took over as the starter. Fans were mentally preparing for this transition for years, yet it still came as a surprise. Love's spot starts were solid, but they didn't give any meaningful data on whether he'd be good or bad.
Well, the results are in, and Love is definitely in the good tier of quarterbacks. In his first full season as the Packers' starting quarterback, Jordan Love posted a completion rate of 64.2%, passing for 4,159 yards with 32 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. You won't be able to find that type of production easily anywhere else, that's for sure. Green Bay made it all the way to the Divisional Round, where they unfortunately lost to the San Francisco 49ers.
Still, there's a lot to like about the Packers and their future. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs form a highly underrated wide receiver duo (especially if Watson gets his hamstring issues fixed). Luke Musgrave is a solid pass-catching option at tight end. And at running back, the Packers got a bit of an upgrade in former rushing leader Josh Jacobs.
The path back to the NFL playoffs isn't going to be easy for the Packers. The Detroit Lions stand as the main roadblocks for the team. You can never truly count out the Minnesota Vikings, even after losing Kirk Cousins. And the Chicago Bears are a sleeper team to be successful this year. Can Love and Green Bay overcome these roadblocks?
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