The Jordan Love Era Has Begun in Green Bay: A Fresh Start that Will Either Result in Praise or Condemnation

 

After sitting behind future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers for three seasons, 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love will finally get his shot as the Green Bay Packers franchise quarterback. After Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets in April, the Jordan Love era in Green Bay will officially begin on September 10th as the Packers will start their 2023 regular season by facing their long-time rival: the Chicago Bears. 

As a longtime Green Bay Packers fan, I am both excited and nervous to watch Jordan Love play this season. On one hand, a fresh start for Green Bay (and for Rodgers) was desperately needed. With all the trade and retirement rumours that have been circulating around Rodgers over the past couple of years, it's definitely refreshing to have a new face at quarterback. But at the same time, it was also comforting and fun to have a Hall of Fame quarterback as the face of your favourite team for an entire decade. Even if there were only 12 seconds left in a playoff game, you always knew in the back of your mind that with Aaron Rodgers as your quarterback, you had a shot to win the game. As talented as Love is, there's also very little evidence that proves he is indeed capable of being a starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL.

Anytime you lose a Hall of Fame player (let alone a Hall of Fame quarterback), it's generally difficult for a team to enjoy immediate success. And to no surprise, the Packers are currently at +200 odds to make the playoffs according to DraftKings Sportsbook, which safe to say, means that most people are not expecting Matt LaFleur's team to make a postseason run this season.

Luckily for Love, Green Bay is far from being an unpromising set-up to be in. In four seasons as the head coach, LaFleur has guided the Packers to a 47-19 record (49-22 including the playoffs) with two NFC Championship Game appearances. Detractors will say that he was "carried" by Rodgers during those seasons (particularly in 2019, 2020, and 2021 when the Packers won 13 games in each of those years while earning a first-round bye), but those same people will also refuse to admit that before LaFleur arrived in Green Bay in 2019 that former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy couldn't get along with Rodgers and his offence had gone stale and predictable during his last two seasons in Green Bay, which ultimately led to his dismissal after the 2018-19 season. Rodgers (playing through injury in 2017 and 2018) played well in both seasons, but it was clear that something was wrong and he was no longer playing at an MVP level. LaFleur's modern, quarterback-friendly system played a huge part in revitalizing Rodgers' career and served as the catalyst for the Packers finishing 5th in total offence and 1st in points per game in 2020, and 10th in total offence and tied for 8th in points per game in 2021. It's not a coincidence that Rodgers won the MVP award in both of those seasons.

Moving on, running backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon will combine to give Love a explosive, and powerful attack respectively in the running game. Packers wide receiver Christian Watson scored eight total touchdowns (7 receiving, 1 rushing) over his final eight games during his rookie season last year, showcasing loads of potential as he enters his sophomore season as the number-one receiver on the Packers depth chart. Fellow sophomore receiver Romeo Doubs also flashed big-time playmaking and route-running skills last season as well. And Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst made a point to add more youth to the Packers' pass-catching group by drafting two tight ends (Luke Musgrave in the second round, and Tucker Kraft in the third round) and three wide receivers (Jayden Reed in the second round, Dontayvion Wicks in the fifth round, and Grant DuBose in the seventh round).

I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention that the Packers feature eight (yes that's not a typo) first-round picks on their defence. It's become a running joke among Packers fans that the team could have all eleven players on their starting defence be first-round picks, and they still wouldn't be able to field a top-10 defence. The talent on defence is certainly there, led by All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark, and ascending edge rusher Rashan Gary. If the Packers' defence is able to play to their capabilities, that would also lighten some of the load off of Love, so it's safe to say that the Packers' season will most likely depend on the performance of their defence and defensive coordinator Joe Barry.

When Gutekunst selected Love during the 2020 NFL draft, it was undoubtedly the most shocking selection of the entire draft. The Packers were fresh off an NFC Championship appearance in 2019, and everyone thought they would select a wide receiver in the draft to pair with Davante Adams to help them continue to chase a second Super Bowl with Rodgers. But instead, Gutekunst took Love. Now of course, the Packers were still contenders in the following two seasons after drafting Love, but it seemed as if the Packers were trying to do something that is often looked at as being forbidden in the sports world; trying to contend for a championship while also trying to build for the future.

There's a saying in the NFL that it is always better to draft a quarterback one year early rather than one year late. This season, Lafleur, Gutekunst, and Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy will finally get to see the return on the investment they made in 2020. If Love follows in the footsteps of Rodgers and Brett Favre, and becomes an all-time great quarterback (or even merely a good one), there will be much praise and validation for the three men leading the Packers' organization. But if Love flops, Lafleur, and Gutekunst will most likely be out of a job by this time next year and Murphy won't be looked at too fondly either.

Buckle up, Jordan Love. The future of the most storied franchise in the NFL weighs on your shoulders; or should I say, right arm.