The Green Bay Packers find themselves in an unfamiliar situation involving the most important position in all of sports.
They had the luxury of having two of the best quarterbacks of all-time under center for the past thirty years … But now, they’re scrambling to see if their new signal caller is a worthy successor.
Jordan Love, who assumed the role of QB1 this season, has management and fans eagerly awaiting to see if he is a true franchise quarterback.
General Manager Brian Gutekunst addressed this issue during his annual midseason news conference, emphasizing the importance of the remaining 10 games.
“I think we’ve got 10 games left … These are going to be very important 10 games,” he said.
UPDATE: #Packers are "unsure" if Jordan Love is their Franchise quarterback for the future, per @RobDemovsky
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst says he can't say for sure whether Love the long-term future of the franchise at this mid-point of the season.
"I think we've got 10 games… https://t.co/IyY3lCI6ux pic.twitter.com/st4QpzxAoK
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 1, 2023
The Packers started the season with a promising 2-1 record under Love, during which he had seven touchdowns and just one interception.
However, they have since lost four consecutive games, with Love throwing four touchdowns and seven interceptions … He has also been arguably the most inaccurate quarterback in the entire league.
“I think he’s done a lot of really good things,” Gutekunst said, praising Love. “Really like the way he’s responded to the adversity, how he’s led the team. Again, we’ve got to be better as a unit, and I expect that to happen over the next 10 games.”
The Packers struggles have been most pronounced in the first half of games, where they’ve been outscored 73-9 in the past five matchups.
Gutekunst described Love’s play as “a little up and down,” but he believes that the entire offense is a work in progress.
His comments echo those made by head coach Matt LaFleur, who mentioned that everyone must play better around Love to evaluate him properly.
LaFleur also acknowledged the need for improvements in both Love’s play and the coaching staff’s support.
Although Love spent three seasons as Rodgers’ backup, Gutekunst evaluates him as a first-year player.
In the offseason, Love was signed to a contract extension worth up to $22.5 million through the 2024 season, in place of exercising the fifth-year option on his rookie deal.
As the Packers head towards securing a potential top-10 draft pick, their flexibility with five picks in the first three rounds could allow them to pick another quarterback.
However, Gutekunst remains optimistic about what they currently have.
“I really do believe in the group in that building and the coaching staff, and I think big things are ahead,” he said.
“We’ve got to get through these things … We’ve got to learn from ’em. We’ve got to stay grounded through the process, and if we do that, I think the results will come.”
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst says he has faith in Jordan Love, but he also won't commit to him being the face of the franchise. Lance Allan has today's Green and Gold 1-Minute Drill. #tmj4sponsor #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/r430nF3C6d
— TMJ4 News (@tmj4) November 1, 2023
Choosing his words carefully, Gutekunst made sure to praise Love while also not committing to him as the long-term answer.
What are your thoughts on Love?
Is he truly a franchise quarterback?
Will the Packers end up drafting a quarterback in the first round or two to potentially replace Love???