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This time a year ago, Jordan Love was a massive question mark surrounding the Green Bay Packers as the club entered the post-Aaron Rodgers era. The former first-round pick was in line to ascend to QB1 following Rodgers’ trade to New York and it was unclear what the 2023 campaign was going to bring with him under center. Fast forward a year later, Love is coming off an encouraging first season as the full-time starter, which included taking the San Francisco 49ers to the brink of elimination in the division round.
Now, the question that surrounds Love doesn’t revolve around whether or not he is capable of being “the guy” in Green Bay — it’s more about his current contract. Instead of picking up his fifth-year option last spring, the Packers signed Love to an extension that has him under team control through the 2024 season. He’s set to make $11 million in total cash this year, which is well below the going rate for starting-caliber quarterbacks.
“I don’t really know what’s going on, but we’ll see,” Love told reporters Tuesday when asked about his contract. “I’m not gonna get into too much contract stuff.
When asked specifically if he’d be comfortable playing under his current deal this season, Love said, “We’ll see. I don’t know yet. We’ll see.”
Love was stellar down the stretch last year. In his final eight games of the regular season, he completed 70.2% of his passes while averaging 268.8 passing yards per game. He also had 18 passing touchdowns with just one interception. Given that production and his current contract situation, it’s logical to assume that Love’s representatives will be meeting with Packers brass over the course of the summer to hammer out a long-term deal to bring the quarterback’s salary to a more palatable number.
The fact that Love is showing up to voluntary OTAs is a positive sign that there’s no ill will between the two sides with this contract situation looming overhead.
“I mean, that’s just something that I’ve always done,” Love said of attending OTAs. “Trying to be here, get the reps in, get the work in with the guys and just start building that chemistry and getting ready for the season.”
Really, it’s a matter of when Love gets a new deal rather than if it comes to fruition. For the Packers, locking him in sooner rather than later makes the most sense in this current landscape of quarterback contracts growing larger by the minute.