Three of the four quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2020 draft have, to no surprise, had their fifth-year options picked up. The Packers are the only team yet to make their decision on that front, despite the fast-approaching deadline to do so. 
Jordan Love is officially in place as Green Bay’s QB1, with the Aaron Rodgers trade having been finalized last week. His fifth-year option would cost $20.27MM next season if the team were to exercise it, a move which would represent at least a short-term commitment. Since the team has already made one by trading Rodgers, it would come as little surprise if they picked up Love’s option. A firm decision has yet to be made, however.
“Yeah, I’ve got to figure that out by Tuesday, I guess,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said on the subject of Love’s option. “We’re kind of still working through that. We’ve been so focused on the draft. We’ve had some preliminary conversations, but we’ll get to that before Tuesday. It’s a lot of money for a guy who hasn’t played. But at the same time, obviously, we’re moving forward with him. So, we’ll figure that out by Tuesday” (h/t Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk).
Indeed, plenty of questions remain with respect to Love’s preparedness for an NFL starting job despite being three years removed from his rookie campaign. The 24-year-old has made 10 appearances, and only one start, during his time in Green Bay. The team has been consistent in their praise for the Utah State product, though, and a strong 2023 campaign could establish his worth as a legitimate starter.
If that were to happen, a price tag slightly over $20MM would be a relative bargain, considering the heights the QB market has reached in recent years. On the other hand, declining the option to turn this coming season into a make-or-break year for Love would make it easier to move on from him if he were to fail to progress in the way the team expects him to.
The Packers added a fifth-round quarterback during the draft, but also two tight ends and three receivers to give Love a plethora of new pass catchers for his first season at the helm. Before he begins that new phase of his career, though, more clarity will have emerged with respect to his financial future.
They should. $20m is half the cost of the going rate for starters these days.
And drafting 4 players in the 7th round shouldn’t be much of a financial burden moving forward unless they found a hidden gem.
But 20 million is a lot to spend on a backup. Love has not looked good and you can definitely find out in a year if he’s going to be a viable starter going forward. I do think you pick up his option only because there’s no veteran to go after in 2024.
Gambling money. The Packers have spent the pick, spent the development years – not putting the $20 million on the table would be short changing their investment now. If Love is that bad, then the Pack shouldn’t have driven Aaron Rodgers out of town this fall.
“Yeah, I’ve got to figure that out by Tuesday, I guess,” …… “We’re kind of still working through that.
^ this is soooo funny !!!!
Dude, seriously. Not sure if he’s just playing dumb to the media or if he legitimately hasn’t thought about that. Probably good to think about when you trade your starting QB.
If their GM is as truly as clueless as he comes across in those quotes, good Lord…
It’s more than clueless. It lacks leadership by saying “I guess”. What a moronic comment.
Tactless. I’d be annoyed if I was Jordan Love. I’d start to understand how Aaron Rodgers lost patience with Packers management if this is how they respect their players.
Or, at least just it. “We want you to play out this year and go from there”.
Fans Love him
Maybe Bears fans
What’s the alternative? Andy Dalton? Nick Foles? Roll with Clifford in year 2 with (likely) zero experience prior? Draft another qb next year and throw him in the fire..?
I don’t know if Love is the guy or not, but GB has really gone out if their way to make an absolute circus of this whole thing since the second they drafted him.
And even if Gutey boy is trying to be humorous, this probably isn’t the time, nor topic, to attempt something for the first time in his life.
It’s Daniel Jones all over again, but with less work to evaluate.
Though it made sense at the time, I bet the Giants wish they picked up that 5th year option instead of paying him 40M/season. Then he’d have to prove it in his option year that last season was no fluke. If he tanks then that’s a lot of money thrown in the trash.
Nothing like a vote of confidence from management.
Decline it. If he was any good, they would’ve kicked Rodgers to the curb sooner. If he balls out this year, great. Tag him and make him prove it for a second year. Then if (big if), he’s playing at a high level, feel free to sign him to a long term deal.
I’d use the $ to stock the roster and prepare for a half decade of band aid QBs until they bump into another franchise QB.
Good thing the team didnt use this half-brained logic when rolling with Rodgers as starter after Favre. If he didnt displace a back to back MVP, he must not be very good, right? How about we just wait and see what he can actually do on the field, rather than make assumptions based on the fact he couldnt “beat out” the reigning mvp for his job as a benchmark for how good he may or may not be.
I agree as far as the fact that they should decline it. If he looks really good and then you have to figure things out with him next offseason, that’s a good problem to have. If he flops, you’re stuck paying a decent chunk of money to a third string QB, since ideally you have a more experienced main backup than he’d be.
Way too much of an unknown to rush to commit to an extra, costly year.
I don’t know the numbers, but I’m fairly certain the franchise tag is more expensive than that 5th year option. They traded up for him and traded their starter. If they decline the option that won’t give him much confidence. They need to be all in on him at least this season and next.
The tag is around $38-39 million.
Depends on what tag. Baltimore tagged Jackson at 32 million
Good point. The Packers would be delighted to get two first round draft picks for Love.
Depending upon how 2023 plays out, they might be delighted to get a 12 of PBR and an 8 pack of Brats.
link to profootballrumors.com
They use the 2023 Tag salaries for the highest tier in the 5th Year Option Salary determination.
It seems the only purpose of the Pro Bowl is to help move players up tier(s).
That’s chump change. The mistake was made 3 years ago, you can’t fix it now.
Could be worse Packer fans.
Idk how but it could always be worse.
Bright side is least theyll have 2 1sts next year.
They could be Jets fans… It always can get worse.
“Yeah, I’ve got to figure that out by Tuesday, I guess,”
Uh, yeah. Guess so. Lots-O-Confidence there.
Even if you draft a rookie next year. Love at 20mm is bargain – why haven’t they trade him? Easy button pick it up
Gute being aloof pissing off casual fans when the plan has been written for three years is funny.
They are just working thru rodgers contract reconstruction then theyll probably offer jlo 3/90 or something silly keeping him locked up without having played.
The question, is jlo betting on himself or taking the security.
They’ll give an unproven guy 3/90 when they aren’t even sure if 20 for one year is worthy? The price would go down not up per year, 3/40 would be more like it.
Why would love sign a 3/40 when he can make more than that even being a backup.
Qbs franchise tag cost almost 40m
If the packers can get jlo to buy out 2 years of free agency at around 30 mil per, that is a steal
Feels like a pretty easy call to pick up the option. In a vacuum, I understand the hesitation for a guy who hasn’t played much yet, but they didn’t trade Rodgers and turn it over to Love, to not go all-in on him. You’re not necessarily committing to him even if you pick it up because $20 million is pocket change (relatively speaking) for an NFL quarterback. If you pick up the option and he still doesn’t meet your expectations this season, you’ve got a slightly expensive stopgap or bridge guy to the rookie you draft next year.
Nothing would be stopping you from drafting someone in the first round next year if he doesn’t play well this year (especially with the little bit of extra ammo they got from the Jets), so you might as well take the gamble that he’ll be worth $20 million next year because it’s a whole lot better than declining the option and having to pay him $35-40 million or more for next year and beyond if he plays well.
I’d laugh if Sean Clifton outplayed him
I mean, they should know by now if he can play or not, it’s not like they drafted him only to stick him behind a Hall of Fame prima donna for 3 years… wait…
Way2 boost young QBs confidence, what happen2 “we like Love”, as team moved away from Rodgers, kid can put it on his shoulders play well n then take Packers 2the bank
$20M will be cheap if he excels in 2023. He could play like a guy who has soaked up 3 years of sitting behind Rodgers, or they might want to seal him into a cave. There isn’t enough data to work from.
They know what they have. They’ve seen his film study, his practices, whether or not his teammates see him as a leader.
If they don’t exercise the option, it says a lot about what they’ve seen of him to this point.
Don’t pick it up. I hope the packers completely tank in 24 and hopefully have a shot at the SoCal QB
The Packers are a 5-6 win team without Rodgers.
They’ll try and do a short term extension with incentives or pick it up if nothing gets done.