The Packers' Jordan Love Pick Looking Like an All-Time Worst Draft Decision
The Green Bay Packers shocked the football world during the 2020 NFL Draft when they traded up in the first round to select Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with the No. 26 overall pick. It was a stunning decision considering Aaron Rodgers was on the team's roster and had openly said he wanted to play into his 40s. While it looked like a bad pick at the time, after Thursday's developments, the Love selection is shaping up to be one of the worst in NFL history.
The Packers entered last year's draft coming off an NFC Championship Game appearance and were clearly a player or two away from winning a Super Bowl. Instead of improving the roster by adding one of the many playmakers still on the board late in the first round, they traded up to draft a project at quarterback who wouldn't start for at least two years. I labeled them one of my losers from the first-round of the draft and my biggest loser of the entire weekend. The decision made no sense.
As if that wasn't enough, Rodgers has been open that he wasn't a fan of the pick, and thenLove went out and was wildly unimpressive in training camp. Rodgers clearly played with a chip on his shoulder in 2020, as he turned back the clock and turned in an all-timer of a season. He completed 70.7 percent of his passes for 4,299 yards, with 48 touchdowns and five interceptions. He led the Packers back to the NFC title game and posted a passer rating (121.5) and career-best QBR (84.4). He easily won his third MVP award. Now, he wants out.
Reports have been pouring in from all corners on Thursday that Rodgers doesn't want to return to Green Bay. He's done and, frankly, no one should blame him. The Packers have taken him for granted, and rather than listen to him and bolster the roster around him, they traded assets to move up and select his successor.
The Love pick looked bad already because Green Bay failed to address a need that was clear and instead grabbed a big-armed project who needs a lot of work. That pick angered Rodgers who wants the team to be in win-now mode and operate as such. Love may never even be good enough to start in the NFL and by selecting him the Packers may have chased away the best player they've ever had.
Rodgers is 37, the reigning MVP and just turned in arguably the best season of his career. He's got plenty left in the tank but the Packers were too stupid to realize what taking Love could mean to that relationship. Now it could be over and the team's front office only has itself to blame.