After last week’s trade of Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers have worked out a new contract with Jordan Love, the quarterback who will try to replace him in the Packers offense.
Packers and Jordan Love have agreed on a one-year contract extension worth up to $22.5 million, including $13.5 million fully guaranteed, per source. pic.twitter.com/OfW45KOu9m
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 2, 2023
Hours before the deadline for Green Bay to exercise Love’s option, the sides instead agree to a one-year extension that replaces Love’s existing deal. https://t.co/mY7vV7DV81
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 2, 2023
The 39-year-old Rodgers was dealt to the New York Jets in a trade that had been a topic of discussion for much of the offseason. The transaction brought to an end a legendary tenure with the Packers for Rodgers. That tenure will eventually earn him a spot in the Hall of Fame.
Love, who doesn’t turn 25 until November, will be starting his fourth season with the Packers in 2023. His ascension as Rodgers’ replacement has been closely watched ever since he was drafted by the Packers in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
However, despite three years on his NFL resume, Love has only seen action in a total of 10 games during that span. That includes one start in 2021 when Rodgers missed a game after testing positive for COVID-19.
In those 10 contests, Love has completed 50 of his 83 passes for 606 yards and three touchdowns. That latter amount is matched by his career total of three interceptions.
When Love was drafted in 2020, he was the last of four quarterbacks taken in the first round. The other three, Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, have already made their marks in the league, with the Packers hoping that Love follows that same path.
Love’s extended path to becoming Green Bay’s starting quarterback and the pressure of trying to replace a future Hall of Famer is something that Rodgers can appreciate.
In the 2005 NFL Draft, Rodgers was chosen by the Packers in the latter part of the first round and then saw action in only seven games over his first three seasons. That wait was because Brett Favre was still a productive signal-caller for Green Bay.
Favre was traded to the Jets in 2008. At that point in his career, Rodgers had only thrown for 329 yards and a single touchdown.
For his career, Rodgers has compiled eye-popping numbers that include 59,055 passing yards and 475 touchdown passes.
The Packers are hoping that history repeats itself, though until Love has a breakout season, he’ll be under a pressure-packed microscope.
