Trading Love Is Right Thing To Do
The Packers don’t have to trade backup quarterback Jordan Love, but they should. The former No. 1 pick deserves a chance to at least compete for a starting job in his third season, and there are a handful of teams that would afford him that opportunity.
People who think it’s OK for Love to ride the bench for the first three years of his career point to Aaron Rodgers doing just that in Green Bay from 2005 to 2007. But that was an anomaly, and it was also a decade and a half ago. In the past 50 years, no other quarterback chosen in round 1 was forced to sit for so long before being given the opportunity to start.
While trading Love would be the right thing to do for the player, just as importantly, it would also be the right thing to do for the team. With several veterans expected to be released or not re-signed due to the salary cap, the Packers need all the picks they can get in next month’s draft. There will be many holes to fill between now and the beginning of the season.
Some, including Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, believe the Packers could get a second-round pick from a quarterback-needy team like Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, or Seattle. That seems unlikely, but even a third or high fourth would be extremely helpful. Depending on what happens in the upcoming weeks, Green Bay could be looking to fill gaping holes at tight end, wide receiver, defensive end, outside linebacker, and inside linebacker, so the more picks, the better.
Of course, the Packers can’t move on from Love unless they have a capable replacement for him. Journeyman Kurt Benkert is the only other quarterback on the roster, and while he’s an All-Pro on social media, he’s better suited to be a No. 3 in the NFL. Fortunately, there’s a soon-to-be unrestricted free agent who’d be the perfect backup to Rodgers in 2022 and beyond. His name is Tim Boyle, who played for Green Bay for three seasons before signing with the Lions last March.
Boyle obviously knows coach Matt LaFleur’s offense, and he’s close friends with Rodgers. Plus, the former undrafted free agent from Eastern Kentucky gained valuable experience in his one season with Detroit. He started three games and attempted 94 passes. That’s three more starts and 90 more passes than he accumulated in his time with the Packers.
The 27-year-old Boyle went 0-3 as a starter and looked like an inexperienced backup quarterback on an awful team. His numbers weren’t very impressive (526 total yards, 3 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions), but he showed poise, toughness, a strong right arm, and the ability to make plays under pressure. Surround Boyle with more talent and better coaching, and he’d be at least an average No. 2. He’s also somebody who’d likely accept that role for multiple seasons.
Would Boyle actually be an upgrade over Love? That’s difficult to say, but it’s certainly possible in the short term. He’d also come cheaply, which is important for a team that’s currently $50 million over the cap and will be counting every penny in the upcoming weeks. Boyle made $2.5 million last season, and it’s unlikely he’d be offered more on the open market.
There are only two reasons not to trade Love. The first is if Gutekunst believes there’s a decent chance 2022 could be Rodgers’ last season. And while it’s hard to believe the Packers would turn down a deal similar to the one the Seahawks got for Russell Wilson for one last run at the Super Bowl, you never know. The second is if no team offers reasonable compensation for Love, and reasonable means at least a third this year or a fourth this year and a conditional pick in 2023.
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