"He's sort of stuck in Green Bay" - NFL insider believes Jordan Love's career is in jeopardy thanks to Aaron Rodgers' contract extension
Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are riding the high of being back together for, at least, another few years and getting a chance at another Super Bowl (or two or three). The team also placed the franchise tag on star receiver Davante Adams, which means that the core of the offense is intact.
But where does that leave backup quarterback Jordan Love?
NFL insider Adam Schefter believes that the re-signing of Aaron Rodgers leaves Jordan Love stuck in the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. Here's what Schefter had to say:
"Well, I don't imagine that Jordan Love feels like he's in the best situation for his growth and development. Clearly, he's not going to be playing, but he's under contract for two more years. And there's not a lot he can do. Now, is there another team out there that [is] willing to give up a premium pick for Jordan Love? Maybe Jordan Love and his agent can convince the Packers to move on from him, but what team out there is going to surrender a premium pick for an unproven talent?"
Schefter then continued with his statement, speaking about some of the teams with vacancies at the quarterback position.
"At this point in time, these quarterback chairs are filled up by the day right now. We've got openings in Carolina, New Orleans, and Seattle. I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody, but of those teams, is there going to be a team out there willing to give up a prime enough pick to make Green Bay want to move off Jordan Love? Especially when we don't know whether Aaron Rodgers is going to play beyond next year. So it's a difficult situation. And it's one where the draw with Jordan Love is sort of stuck in Green Bay, unless something unforeseen occurs."
Schefter concluded his thoughts by comparing the situation to that of Aaron Rodgers and former Packers quarterback Brett Favre.
"(Where) a team all of a sudden feels like he (Love) is by far the best quarterback option we can have. We have to go get this guy, and we're willing to perhaps trade a second-round draft pick. But it's hard to envision all those elements coming together, which basically means that Jordan Love is going to be stuck backing up Aaron Rodgers the way that Aaron Rodgers once was stuck backing up Brett Favre."
The organization does have a major decision to make in the coming year or so on what to do with Jordan Love.
Will the Green Bay Packers make a Super Bowl run after numerous offseason transactions?
The #Packers have now officially franchise tagged WR Davante Adams, source said.
Once Rodgers was re-signed, the other dominos for the team began to fall into place. Davante Adams was franchise tagged for an amount around $20.5 million, so the four-time NFL MVP has his star receiver coming back next season.
The Packers also elected to give linebacker Preston Smith a four-year extension worth $52.5 million. The biggest splash for the defense was re-signing star linebacker De'Vondre Campbell to a five-year deal worth up to $50 million ($16.25 million guaranteed in the first year of the contract).
From Free Agency Frenzy: De'Vondre Campbell gets the bag. https://t.co/Op71eO3Cwg
Campbell was the lynch pin of the defense, totaling 145 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
These moves were all able to be made because Green Bay was able to save $18 million on Aaron Rodgers' contract towards the 2022 salary cap, as well as saving $15.75 million in cap space by releasing former linebacker Za'Darius Smith.
With the amount of money that was transferred into re-signing key players (as well as players yet to be signed in free agency), Green Bay can look forward to trying to improve upon their 13-10 loss in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to the San Francisco 49ers.