By Paul Bretl: 7/28/2024
The 2022 season was the turning point in Packers’ quarterback Jordan Love’s career at that point with that year playing a pivotal role in his development, helping him get to today where he is the highest-paid player in the NFL.
“I would say that ’22 season,” said Matt LaFleur on Saturday, “you could just see more and more from him in regards, I thought he had a pretty good, although the numbers didn’t say it, I thought he had a pretty good preseason in terms of how we evaluate the quarterbacks and it’s all process based, not result based. And then what he would do in scout team periods. I thought he did a great job of putting a lot of stress on our defense and making throws.”
During that 2022 preseason that LaFleur is referring to Love’s production was sporadic. He completed just 55 percent of his 74 throws at 5.9 yards per attempt with three touchdowns to four interceptions.
However, beyond the numbers, which during the preseason don’t matter, LaFleur liked the path Love was on from a process standpoint. The process part of the equation is everything that takes place up until the ball is thrown and can be a good indicator of future and long-term success because it encapsulates everything that’s needed to play the quarterback position at a high level.
This includes getting in and out of the huddle efficiently. Making sure everyone on offense is lined up correctly. Making any protection adjustments at the line of scrimmage based on what the defense is showing. Going through your progressions and knowing where the outlet option is if the play is blown up quickly or there’s no where to go with the ball. From a technique standpoint, having your feet and eyes mirror each other while going through progressions, and when the opportunity is there, as LaFleur puts it, letting it rip.
“There’s definitely a lot thrown at you your rookie year and I felt that,” Love said on Saturday. “I definitely felt I wasn’t ready. There was just so much learning that was going on and I wasn’t feeling like the player that I was in college being able to play fast and all those things. Year 2 coming back I felt a little bit more prepared but I definitely think by Year 3 I was ready. I was ready to take over. Ready to get on the field. And just ready to go out there and showcase what I’ve been working on.”
If the process is consistently correct, the results will eventually follow. As Love continued to progress in this regard on the practice field–behind closed doors–and giving the Packers’ defense fits, the we on the outside got our first glimpse of Love’s growth during the Philadelphia game when he came in for Aaron Rodgers. In that performance, Love was a crisp 6-for-9 passing for 113 yards and one touchdown, including a 63 yard touchdown pass to Christian Watson.
It was this body of work from Love, just about all of which occurred behind the scenes, that played a key factor in the Packers decision during that 2023 offseason to move on from Rodgers and give Love the opportunity to be the starter.
Love’s talent has never been in question–that’s always been evident. The challenge initially was finding the consistency from a process standpoint to repeatedly execute at a high level. As Love acknowledged, he wasn’t ready his rookie season, and while in Year 2 there was more confidence, he was still navigating a steep learning curve.
Many were quick to confirm any priors that they had about the Love selection after his performance against Kansas City in 2021, where Love complete only 19-of-34 passes for 190 yards with one touchdown and one interception as the Chiefs blitzed over and over. To this day, LaFleur is still quick to take the blame for the team’s performance and not having a gameplan better suited for Love.
Beyond his ability on the football field, what makes Love a great leader, teammate, and what has helped him get to the point he’s at today, overcoming so much uncertainty in his NFL career, is his ability to bounce-back, his poised demeanor, and the hard work he’s put in–all of which was reflected in that Chiefs’ game, even if the results weren’t favorable.
“The thing’s that so impressive about him is just how resilient he is,” said LaFleur. “Like never gets phased, just continues to fight and I think that says a lot about him and I think that’s a big reason why we’re standing here today talking about him is the resiliency that he has and the kind of teammate that he is and the kind of work that he’s going to put in. So, it’s awesome to see him get rewarded for that.”
Love’s arm talent and just overall ability as a passer are certainly important factors in him being in the position he’s at today, but it’s his ability to command the offense almost regardless of what is happening on the field that had him playing at an elite level last season.
A prime example of this came during Saturday’s practice. On one play in particular, Karl Brooks burst through the offensive line almost instantly from Love’s right side. There was no panic, he saw Brooks immediately, alluded his rush, made his way out of the pocket and knew exactly where Josh Jacobs would be, dumping it off to him in the flat. This went from being a play that almost certainly should have been a sack to a positive play for the offense, and it’s in this aspect where Love differentiates himself from many other quarterbacks.
“What he’s got such a great command of right now is he’s got such an unbelievable command of our offense,” said LaFleur before practice. “He knows all the details, the ins and outs. He can help the other guys. He can coach the other guys up on the field. It’s pretty impressive.”
Regardless of what level a player is at, LaFleur said you’re either getting better or you’re getting worse. As good as Love looked last season, there is of course, still room for growth. In fact, an emphasis this offseason for Love has been going back to the basics and working on his footwork, both from the pocket and on the move. Pun intended, but the foundation for a good throw begins with the quarterback’s feet.
Whatever will be needed down the road the Packers are confident that Love can deliver, and that feeling of confidence is not only because of what he brings on the football field, but because of who he is off of it.
“I think what gives me comfort is I know he’s going to work to be whatever he can be,” said GM Brian Gutekunst. “The best version of himself. He’s done that consistently since he’s been here and to see him, his learning, his growth over that time, I don’t expect him to change.
“I think that’s the one thing, again, I feel really good about is that because of the contract we’re not going to ask him to do anything more than he’s been doing. We want him to be himself and keep doing what he’s been doing. If he does that then I really don’t think there’s a limit on what he can accomplish.”