Packers Should Already Consider Giving Jordan Love the Josh Rosen Treatment
Aaron Rodgers only needed 60 minutes to remind people why the Jordan Love pick made no sense.
Although Rodgers turns 37 in December, he looked like his normal, MVP-level self in a Week 1 victory over the rival Vikings. While Rodgers carved up Minnesota’s defense, Love — the ex-Utah State quarterback and the Packers’ first-round selection in April — watched from the bench.
If Rodgers’ first performance of 2020 foreshadowed what is to come this year, the Green Bay Packers may need to consider giving Love the Josh Rosen treatment.
Aaron Rodgers dominated in Week 1
Aaron Rodgers shut down any concerns about regression or that Jordan Love would be taking his place anytime soon.
Rodgers completed 32 of his 44 passes for 364 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions in a 43-34 road victory at Minnesota. Green Bay scored 19 unanswered points after trailing 7-3 late in the first quarter.
Rodgers improved to 15-8-1 in 24 career games against the Vikings. The two-time MVP winner has completed 68% of his passes for 5,839 yards, 47 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in those games.
Rodgers excelled despite offseason concerns about the weapons Green Bay surrounded him with on offense. Talented running back Aaron Jones picked up 66 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Davante Adams caught 14 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns.
Third-year wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who Rodgers praised leading up to the Week 1 opener, had four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Jordan Love has no role with Aaron Rodgers healthy and sharp
Green Bay shocked the world when they drafted Jordan Love in the first round of April’s NFL draft.
Although the move drew parallels to Green Bay drafting Aaron Rodgers to back up Brett Favre in 2005, it isn’t a fair comparison. Rodgers is still playing at an MVP level in a time where more and more quarterbacks are thriving in their late 30s and early 40s.
Love struggled in his first training camp with the Packers. Green Bay even rendered Love inactive for the Packers’ opener at Minnesota.
Tim Boyle, who served as Rodgers’ backup last year, remained the No. 2 quarterback.
Green Bay should start thinking about trading Jordan Love
If Aaron Rodgers’ Week 1 outing is a sign of things to come for this year, Green Bay has to be regretting the Jordan Love pick.
Rodgers is under contract through the 2023 season and turns 40 that December. He has shown no signs of slowing down and hasn’t hinted at retiring anytime soon.
The good news for Green Bay is that Love is only 21. Love will be 25 when the 2023 season ends. Rodgers was 25 when he took the starting reins from Brett Favre in 2008.
Still, that’s a major risk for the Packers to take, especially in the era of instant gratification. Arizona drafted Josh Rosen with the 10th overall pick in 20188, then traded him to Miami last year after using the No. 1 overall pick on Kyler Murray.
Granted, the Murray selection came under a different coaching staff than the one that drafted Rosen, but Arizona still felt comfortable moving on from their first-round pick. Could Green Bay go down the same route next offseason?
It’s a radical idea the Packers likely don’t want to consider right now. But, if Rodgers is going to the man for another four years and perform at a high level, the Packers might be better off cutting ties with Love sooner rather than later.
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