Green Bay's decision on Jordan Love could determine its long-term viability as an organization. Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Luke Musgrave are in their second seasons now so Green Bay must know whether Jordan Love can step into an important role on offense or defense.
Love has the tools available to him to achieve success; now it's up to him to use them successfully.
Field Vision
After losing in the opening round of playoffs to Dallas last week, Green Bay seemed poised to rebound with their young squad full of promising players and Jordan Love's potential growth as quarterback still evident.
But it may take the Packers more than two games to see who Love truly is as an option at quarterback. At Monday's annual shareholder meeting, President and CEO Mark Murphy expressed confidence that they were prepared for any eventuality at that position if need be.
Love was signed as Rodgers' backup during both seasons he has played, yet only has 10 career appearances under his belt - meaning much remains uncertain regarding the player. General Manager Brian Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur did an exceptional job of recruiting him, though time will need to pass before properly evaluating Love's skill set.
Murphy's comments were intended more as an attempt to reassure fans than anything else. He is aware of how important decisions the Packers make can be to winning games and economic prosperity for Green Bay and Titletown District. They have already spent over $500 million upgrading Lambeau Field as well as creating an entertainment and leisure-centered area nearby.
An enormous undertaking that draws much public scrutiny. While a wealthy owner might be able to overlook some of their financial dealings, as public companies the Packers must balance commercial, gameday and broadcast revenues against costs associated with maintaining century-old history in an ever-evolving NFL environment.
Accuracy
Green Bay Packers' hopes for success in 2023 depend heavily on rookie quarterback Jordan Love, whom they recruited after Aaron Rodgers left for New York Jets. He may only have had one career start, but will receive plenty of playing time this season in order to determine whether or not he is ready to take that next step in his development.
Though Love has been a reliable backup to Rodgers, the Packers want to observe how he handles starting duties before offering him an exclusive long-term contract. General Manager Brian Gutekunst made this clear during Monday's annual shareholder meeting when discussing Love getting some live action.
Once the season concludes, the Packers will know whether their rookie has what it takes to become their starting quarterback and, if he passes, will sign him to a contract extension through 2024. At this time, top quarterbacks are earning well over $50 million annually, so if Love can live up to expectations in that regard then this deal may prove valuable for the team.
However, Love may fail to meet expectations and the Packers can trade him without incurring a significant dead money penalty. That would allow the team to bring in another starting quarterback under Matt LaFleur while creating a winning culture under LaFleur himself. In that scenario, picking up Love's fifth year option becomes an obvious choice and they would still have an outstanding backup quarterback for years.
Change of Direction
All offseason, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur stressed the need for patience with rookie quarterback Jordan Love from Utah State. Before reaching a definitive decision about whether he can extend their 30-year run of MVP-level quarterback play from Brett Favre through Aaron Rodgers, they plan on giving Love at least half a season to demonstrate himself as a starter.
No one knows for certain if that timeline is feasible or necessary, and Love may need to continue his career up through 2023. But regardless, Love sees his upcoming game against the New York Jets as being pivotal to his professional growth so far.
Love impressed the Packers scouting staff with his raw talent and pre draft evaluation; however, there were also a few red flags during his initial performance; specifically missing on some key plays and his decision-making being questionable at times.
Love didn't have much help around him due to an injury to Siaosi Mariner - forcing him to make plays off-scheduled and force balls into coverage instead. This could become problematic in his future career.
Still, Love shouldn't let it derail his confidence in himself or the Packers' belief in his abilities since the start of this season - something which should bode well for both sides as long as Love continues his effort as full-time starter. That confidence could increase Love's chances of becoming their franchise quarterback down the road; for now however, more is required from him in order to become their starting QB; otherwise they could end up searching for new starters come offseason time.
Three-Step Drop
Green Bay Packers team president Mark Murphy has instilled patience into Jordan Love as their starting quarterback, promising him plenty of time before making any definitive judgment on whether the 2020 first-round selection can continue Aaron Rodgers' 30-year reign of MVP level play as their starter. Now team president Murphy has set a timeline that should give Love an idea if his abilities match those needed for continued MVP performance at Green Bay.
Murphy noted at Monday's annual shareholder meeting that it would likely take at least half of a season for them to know whether Love can successfully fulfill his role, similar to when Rodgers came on as backup for Brett Favre after three years as backup.
QBs must be able to shift their dropback footwork subtly on each play to ensure their passing timing corresponds with how fast receiver routes are opening up and how the offensive line blocks. For instance, if a route requires a longer drop (such as fly or deep post routes), they will have to shift their feet so the first separation step after 3-step drop matches up with when lane opens up for them to throw.
Fantasy owners need to know this is paramount if Love wants a shot at being effective as the Packers' starter. Christian Watson's speed and catch radius make him an attractive target, but their effectiveness will depend on whether Love can adapt quickly enough to whatever offense the team installs for him - otherwise his current ADP as No. 2 option in Superflex/two-QB leagues (or backup in one-QB leagues) won't justify itself.
Arm Strength
Arm strength is one of the cornerstones of fielder success and can be evaluated by measuring velocity of throws across different positions in the game, such as an outfielder attempting an assist, shortstop throwing to third base on pickoff attempt or velocity from catcher during stolen base or pickoff throw attempts.
Improved arm strength can be achieved through dedicating part of their off season to long toss throwing programs, with the intention being to lay a strong foundation that can then be maintained throughout the season.
Without spending sufficient time during the off season to build his arm strength and stamina, players often enter their seasons with a weak foundation for their arms and can lead to degenerative cycles that make their arm more susceptible to injuries.
Arm training during the off season should leave players feeling strong, healthy and prepared to play every day, which maximizes his ability to execute and become a more effective force on the field. Furthermore, this also eliminates common symptoms experienced by position players such as aches, pains, swelling and irritation - instead he actually looks forward to throwing between bull-pens or game situations and their skill level and confidence increase considerably - this is why position players must prioritize creating their arm strength and conditioning program as part of their priority plan.
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