After the Packers drafted Jordan Love back in 2020, Aaron Rodgers did his best to ensure that his future replacement never saw the pitch. The Packers’ decision to take Love set Rodgers on fire, who immediately won back-to-back MVP awards once Love joined the team.
With Rodgers playing so well – and because he’s so protective of his position – it was thought Love might never see the field as long as Rodgers was still wearing a Packers uniform. However, it looks like Rodgers is now open to the idea of Love getting playing time this year if the Packers are knocked out of playoff contention.
“Look, I would love to finish the season, but I understand it’s a business and there are a lot of older guys playing a decent amount and they might want to see younger guys playing,” Rodgers said. Wednesday. , via ESPN. “I hope we don’t have to have this conversation. But if this conversation does come up, I will approach this with an open mind and without bitterness or resentment. Obviously, as I said, I want to win and we don’t we don’t. I don’t need to have these conversations. I understand that if we don’t, it’s a possibility to have this conversation.
At 4-8, the Packers are still mathematically alive in the playoff race, but that may not be the case much longer. Once they are officially eliminated, it would make a lot of sense for Green Bay to let Love finish the season. Rodgers seems to realize that the possibility of him being benched is a conversation that will need to take place at some point in the near future.
Love had his first extended playing time of the season in Green Bay’s 40-33 loss to the Eagles in Week 12. After Rodgers was injured, Love came on and looked impressive, completing 6 of 9 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. . The Packers would probably like to have Love on the court for a few more games this year because they have a huge decision to make this offseason.
The third-year QB was drafted in 2020, which means Green Bay will have to make a decision on their fifth-year option by May. Making that decision will probably be at least a little easier if they see him start two or three games before the end of the season.
Rodgers, who wanted Love out of the field in 2020 and 2021, seemed proud of the quarterback’s performance against the Eagles.
“It was really fun to watch,” Rodgers said of Love during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show this week, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I feel like an older brother watching him do well. I care a lot about the kid. Fun to see his growth. Fun to see him just chilling there. Once you can do a few games, it takes kind of the out-of-body anxiety and out-of-body tension. Watching him make accurate throws and do what he did, it was fun to watch.
As for this week, it looks like Rodgers will start against the Bears. The Packers QB was asked if he thought about resting his injuries in Week 13 so he could begin to get healthy for next season, and he offered an ominous answer to that question.
“It’s an assumption that this place will be no different next year,” Rodgers said. “So I think that’s part of the conversation.”
This means that Rodgers may not even be 100% sure that he will be back next season. If Rodgers wants to return for 2023, the Packers will welcome him with open arms and that’s mainly because they won’t have a choice. The QB has $59.5 million in guaranteed money coming next season, and trading or cutting it wouldn’t be easy given the dead cap Green Bay would incur.
