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If 2023 was the build-up, 2024 should be the takeoff season for Jordan Love.
The former first-round pick blossomed down the back half of the 2023 campaign, powering a surprise run to the Divisional Round of the playoffs for the upstart Packers. After dodging years of questions of whether Love could be the true successor to Aaron Rodgers, the Utah State quarterback answered those questions in resounding fashion, positioning Green Bay as a favorite to return to the playoffs and wreak some postseason havoc in 2024.
Love’s timeline, however, has made for an interesting contractual situation for the Packers. Because Green Bay selected Love and sat him behind Rodgers for three years, it robbed itself of a chance to ride with a young quarterback on a rookie deal. The 2024 season will be Love’s second as a full-time starter, but fifth on the Packers’ payroll, the final year of a one-year extension to his four-year rookie contract. It’s time for Green Bay to again extend Love — whose representation informed the Packers he won’t practice until a deal is done — and it sounds as if it could happen soon.
“Indeed, I believe so, but the future is always uncertain. We are putting in a lot of effort to ensure it happens,” stated Brian Gutekunst, the Packers’ general manager, on Monday. “It’s incredibly significant for us. Moreover, I am confident because we both share the same objective. We wish for Jordan to be a part of our team for a long duration, providing him with stability, and in return, it brings some stability for our group too. I remain hopeful. These are significant deals and they require time. They are not as straightforward as many might assume. …
I believe we’re almost there, but there are no definite schedules regarding how much longer it will take.
The quarterback market has remained active in 2024. Trevor Lawrence and Jared Goff each received contracts that will pay them $53 million or more per year, and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa is still waiting on his own extension.
Despite not having multiple years of success as a starter, Love’s contract might still fall within that range. This is a common practice in the NFL, particularly for the most critical position in the game, where the player frequently has the upper hand in negotiations.
Love is using his leverage by safeguarding his most valuable asset – his health – and opting to sit out until a deal is finalized. This strategy could potentially speed up the process, particularly because it’s smarter to invest in an emerging star sooner rather than later.
Gutekunst clarified, “On Saturday night, we were somewhat informed that until we finalize something, he wouldn’t be practicing. He will continue to abstain from practicing until we reach an agreement, which is likely to happen before practice resumes soon. Nevertheless, we are all working on resolving this issue.”
We certainly empathize with his situation. We wish he could be on the field with us because it is crucial for him to be there. However, until we sort out the matter at hand, he will abstain from practice. He showed up last week and is participating in all other activities.
The rise of Love in 2023 wasn’t accidental, rather, it demonstrated how a team’s faith in its strategy can yield remarkable outcomes. The Green Bay Packers have every reason to anticipate continued success from their quarterback in the forthcoming years, thereby instilling ample confidence to negotiate a new contract.
Now, it’s about urgently figuring out the numbers.
