Jordan Love's Stunning Development Leaves Packers in Enviable Position
Analysis 3/7/23
No one knows what will happen with Green Bay's quarterback situation, but if the Packers part ways this offseason with Aaron Rodgers — however it happens — they should be in great hands with Jordan Love.
When the Packers drafted Love out of Utah State in 2020, many wondered about his ability to transition from a non-Power Five league to the NFL and if he had enough accuracy to make everyday NFL throws.
I was dumbfounded when I first saw him. I've never been so shocked or taken by a guy at first glance as I was with Jordan Love. When he was coming out of college, I remember watching tape of him where he would throw the ball way down the field, and he had the presence of an NFL quarterback.
I’d equate Love to Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers in that regard. They have that presence that when a defense moves them off their mark they’re not going to panic. You know they’re going to stand in there and make throws, take it and find a way to win. You can see it in both players’ body language. I'm big on body language, and it's something you can’t underestimate.
Love Develops Dynamic Delivery
Love obviously has developed since he was drafted. When I watched tape of him playing last year, I was surprised at how quick his delivery had gotten. He’s got a very dynamic delivery, much like Rodgers has. And there are some good reasons for that.
He has very strong legs, and when he sets himself to throw, he uses them very well. That’s important because consistency and accuracy come from that. That’s why the ball just snaps out of his hand.
When you watch Love, his knees are bent and he’s got this great base. That’s so important because that’s everything you need for accuracy. You throw with your legs. That’s the first thing that goes for an older quarterback — his legs. That’s when things start to deteriorate.
Love is 6-foot-4 and about 220 pounds, and he has these big legs. He’s obviously strong, and he sets himself extremely well. There are several young quarterbacks I’ve watched on tape, and they never really set themselves. That’s going to lead to accuracy problems. Love is different; he’s very accurate because his mechanics are perfect.
That’s why when you watch the ball come out of his hand, it will shock you. He really snaps it out of there.
Keep Calm, Make Plays
Another area he’s grown in is his pocket presence. He has a calmness in the pocket, and a great presence. Watch his eyes. He doesn’t panic. He moves when he has to.
When you combine these things, it’s no surprise he’s gotten extremely accurate. He can turn it back at the line of scrimmage, step around defenders and hit receivers on the fly. What Love does with the ball is a lot like what Rodgers does — he’s quick and accurate.
When Love relieved Rodgers in the Packers’ road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last year, there were some good examples of his growth. One play that stood out to me was when he had to bail on a broken play late in the fourth quarter. If you focus on his eyes, he keeps them downfield, which is a really good trait. He stays in there and tries to fight through and make the throw, but it’s not there. Then he bails out, slides over, and fires it to Randall Cobb at the goal line. The defender makes a great play to knock the ball out and save a touchdown.
Earlier in the quarter, he hit Christian Watson right on the numbers about 10 yards over the middle on a quick slant. Watson took it 63 yards for a touchdown. It shows you how quick he is with the ball, which just snaps out of his hands.
Jordan Love. Christian Watson. One-possession game in Philly 👀
📺: #GBvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/FRZHlv4OoL pic.twitter.com/TxLDZCPdkw— NFL (@NFL) November 28, 2022
Love showed he’s really good outside the pocket, too. He can escape, and he’s not going to run away from everybody, but he’s good enough. He moves better than Rodgers does at age 39.
Physically, Love is outstanding. Not only is he very accurate, but his passes have a lot of zip and snap to them.
Packers' Patience Should Pay Dividends
The Packers’ plan to give Love time to develop could pay off for them. When I watch him now, I can see why the Packers held him back and wanted to keep him. I would suspect he will be a really good player for them with a chance to be very good.
Keeping him in the program for three years has been a huge help. You can see he understands Matt LaFleur’s offense intimately. It’s similar to Rodgers’ progression from 2005-07. They’ve both been able to sit for three years and absorb the offense. They haven’t had to be put in the fire. When they come in, they understand everything.
So just as they did with Rodgers, the Packers have to do whatever they can to keep Love. They’ve invested those three years in him in the same system. So, I think it’s time.
If Rodgers moves on, it would be a smooth transition for the Packers to Love. Having tackle David Bakhtiari and guard Elgton Jenkins healthy going into the season will make them much better on the offensive line. Receivers Romeo Doubs and Watson will have a year of experience and be ready to contribute more.
If Love ends up being the No. 1 guy, it could be a good thing for the organization. When you make that change to a young guy, there’s a different sense of energy that sometimes is good. Guys get excited and they’re all coming in on the same wavelength.
From what I've seen of this kid, I'd hang on to him. I'd bet the ranch on this guy.