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The Green Bay Packers surprised a lot of people with their move in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
They traded their 30th overall pick (and pick 136) to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the 26th overall pick. With that pick, they selected quarterback Jordan Love out of Utah State.
There's a pretty obvious reason why that move would surprise a lot of people, and his name is Aaron Rodgers.
Over the years, Rodgers has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. And he still could have a lot of time left in the league before retiring. So why would the Packers draft another quarterback so early?
Was this a bad move? It could be. But it also has potential to be a perfect fit. Here's why Green Bay could be the best spot for Love to grow in.
As mentioned, Rodgers is already the starter. That's not going to change just because the Packers took a quarterback in the first round. No one is dethroning Rodgers just yet.
The crazy thing though, is that Rodgers is just 36. He could realistically play for another six (or even more seasons). So there's a legitimate chance that by the time Love's rookie contract is up, Rodgers is still playing and the Packers will have never really used the new quarterback and will have a tough decision ahead of them.
At the same time though, there's also a chance this all lines up perfectly. Rodgers plays for three (or four) more years and retires in time for Love to take over.
So the first point you might bring up to combat that, is that it's simply too long. You can't take a QB in the first then have them sit for three years, right?
*whispers* That's exactly what the Packers did with Rodgers and it worked out incredibly.
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As you likely know, Rodgers was the 24th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. He threw 59 total passes in his first three years combined because Brett Favre was still there.
Then when Favre retired (although that didn't last long), Rodgers took over. And in his first year as a starter, he was an absolute star.
Now Love is in a similar situation. He gets to learn under one of the greatest to ever do it. And at age 21, it's not like he'll be closing in on 30 when Rodgers retires, so he'll still have a long career ahead of him.
It also works because of the type of prospect that Love is. Entering the draft, Love was one of the top four quarterbacks along with Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert. Love was the one that most considered a project.
He needs time to learn a system and learn the ropes. Learning behind Rodgers seems like an incredible route.
At the same time though, everyone seemed to love his raw talent. So could that talent blossom under the right tutelage? It's hard to see why not. And it's hard to argue that Rodgers and the Packers aren't the perfect place to learn.
When the pick was announced, it was followed by a bunch of head scratching. Love might have found the perfect spot to grow in Green Bay though.
