Jordan Love needs to be shown more love by the Green Bay Packers.
During the Bye Week, Packers Insider Jason Wilde was working the room to take the temperature on Love and his future in Green Bay. Wilde had, in his words, a really great conversation with Jordan. The money quote was this: “I think he very clearly, even though he wouldn’t flat-out say it, he does not want to sit for another year. So, if we get to year four, and Rodgers does come back, I am fairly confident that he will seek a trade.”
Love has simmered long enough backing up Rodgers, and whether or not he is ready is no longer the point. To sit four years and do relatively nothing is too long of a penance. Three years of observing, taking reps in practice and breaking down opponents tendencies is more than enough. He needs to play and see if it all translates to success on the field.
Maybe it doesn’t work out, even right away. But Jordan Love was a first round draft pick after all. It’s unrealistic to waste four years of his NFL shelf life simply because the team that drafted him got scared, and caved in to hand Aaron Rodgers more money and more control over his future.
The easy out is that Rodgers retires, or asks for a trade to try his hand with another team, a la Tom Brady. But neither one happening is certainly a possibility that would keep Love wallowing on the bench for a fourth season.
The Packers drew a line in the sand when they traded up to get Love. They wanted to ensure that the line of succession at quarterback in Green Bay remained fluid…just like the selection of Rodgers in the first round occurred even with Brett Favre still slinging it.
Rodgers re-drew the line. And the Packers watched that line move and didn’t hold their ground. Now it’s Jordan Love’s turn to draw his own line and see if the Packers respond, or turn back to the line drawn by #12.
Trade him. Play him. But don’t bench him for a fourth year. That succession plan starts all over again if Aaron Rodgers is still the QB in Green Bay when he turns 40 years old. Do the Packers need more quarterback drama in Green Bay again next season? Jordan Love might just provide his own storyline if the script remains all too familiar from where he’s standing on the sidelines.
