It’s time for the Green Bay Packers to move on with Jordan Love as the beginning quarterback.
Following the Packers’ 40-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12, Green Bay is now 4-8 and all however mathematically removed from playoff contention.
Aaron Rodgers worsened his injury issues with a rib injury throughout the loss, leading the way for Love to action in and lead the offense for the rest of the video game. Other than here’s the important things– Love needs to complete out the remainder of the season as the beginning quarterback.
Rodgers ensured to tension after the video game that his injury wasn’t major which he ought to be readily available to play next week. The veteran quarterback has actually likewise been handling a damaged thumb injury suffered in Week 5 versus the New York City Giants.
Via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic:
” As long as we’re mathematically alive, I want to be out there,” Rodgers stated. “There’s undoubtedly a great deal of other discussions that enter into play as soon as you’re removed, and I’ll be open to all those discussions. Pride enters your mind. Love of the video game. However there’s other elements that, undoubtedly, would enter into play needs to we be mathematically removed.”
Head coach Matt LaFleur likewise echoed a comparable belief, stating that he anticipates Rodgers to play if he has the ability to.
While Rodgers keeps he wishes to bet the Chicago Bears in Week 13, the Packers ought to truly consider their alternatives as they play out their last 5 video games without a hope of making it to the playoffs.
Love looked excellent in his very first real prolonged action of the season, going 6-for-9 for 113 passing lawns and one goal. On his 3rd pass of the video game, Love tossed a 63-yard goal pass to Christian Watson.
Through his very first 3 seasons, Love has actually hardly ever seen the field due to Rodgers’ hang on the beginning task. The previous first-round draft choice has actually made simply one profession start and till his look versus the Eagles on Sunday, he’s looked mainly unstable and green in his quick time on the field.
Nevertheless, Green Bay requires to understand what they have in Love while he’s still under agreement with the group. The Packers deal with a choice in Might 2023 on whether to restore their $19.8 million fifth-year choice on the young quarterback.
The Packers deal with a great deal of unpredictability progressing. While this season is a lost cause, it might signify things to come. Green Bay is locked into a long-lasting, big-money handle Rodgers after signing the 38-year-old quarterback to a three-year, $150 million agreement in the offseason. The Packers have actually Rodgers secured through the 2026 season, where he’ll make a typical yearly income of over $50 million– the greatest of any gamer in the league.
If Rodgers does not retire, Green Bay deals with a genuine issue with his agreement– particularly if his efficiency continues to decrease and the Packers are not able to correctly surround him with a supporting cast efficient in leading the franchise back into playoff contention.
That’s why the Packers requirement to discover what they have in Love as they find out what they require to do at quarterback progressing.
” It is difficult,” Love stated. “Clearly I wish to be on the field, however the circumstance is what the circumstance is. The hardest thing is attempting to remain psychologically ready and remain secured due to the fact that you never ever understand what may occur. … I’m leaving of here the exact same. I’m going to prepare as if Aaron will not have the ability to play. I’ll head out there and I’m going to prepare this entire week like that.
If Love shows to be a feasible choice at quarterback, perhaps Green Bay thinks about a major reconstruct by trading Rodgers to a competitor– the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers might have quarterback openings this offseason– if the four-time MVP wishes to continue playing.
Or perhaps if Love reveals simply sufficient capacity, the Packers might trade the young quarterback for a property in return that might assist in Green Bay making a fast turn-around as a competitor once again.
Rodgers will likely begin versus the Bears in Week 13 regardless of the Packers most likely taking a look at a non-playoff season. That’s easy to understand considering they still have a “shot” at making the postseason and due to the reality that Rodgers is a four-time MVP as the league’s highest-paid gamer.
Nevertheless, as soon as Green Bay is formally removed from postseason contention– the Packers are 3 video games out of the last wild card area and lose the head-to-head tiebreaker versus the No. 7-seeded Washington Commanders– Love requires to be placed as the starter by the end of the season.
That might occur as quickly as Week 14 when the Packers deal with the Los Angeles Rams.
Whether Love shows to be a capable franchise quarterback will go a long method towards identifying what the Packers not just strategy to do with him, however what they prepare to do with their franchise quarterback, Rodgers.
Source: Forbes.