Aaron Rodgers may be the starting quarterback of the Green Bay Packers for the 2021 NFL season, but that doesn't mean Jordan Love is entirely out of the picture.
According to head coach Matt LaFleur, Rodgers will most likely not play at all for Green Bay in the preseason, opening the door for Love to showcase his talent in front of the Packers faithful.
Rodgers not a fan of preseason football
LaFleur is not trying to stir the pot again with that decision, as that has been the norm for Rodgers in the past preseasons. The last time Rodgers saw action in the preseason came in 2018 when he played just a single series that included seven plays. The league's reigning regular season MVP has not played more than three series in a single preseason for Green Bay since 2015.
Rodgers was supposed to play in the preseason in LaFleur's first year with Green Bay back in 2019, but the Packers decided not to risk it, given the quality of the field and the deteriorating conditions in Winnipeg. Last year, no preseason games were held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One guy who needs the reps right now is Jordan Love. He last saw action for the Packers in the Senior Bowl on January 25, 2020. Love didn't suit up for Green Bay after being controversially picked by the Packers in the first round of last year's draft. The 22-year-old California native was declared inactive by Green Bay for all 16 regular-season games plus both playoff games last season.
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Love to finally get some snaps this preseason after missing out entirely last year
Love simply had no chance to crack the quarterback rotation of the Green Bay in his first year with the team as Rodgers produced one of his best seasons in a Packers uniform last year. Rodgers had an incredible passer rating of 121.5 with 4,299 yards, 48 touchdowns, and just five interceptions in 16 games played for Green Bay last season.
He led the Packers to a 13-3 record and helped them seal a spot in the NFC Championship Game, where they faced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Unfortunately for Rodgers, he met his match in Tom Brady, who powered the Bucs to a narrow 31-26 victory.
Rodgers' relationship with the Packers management deteriorated rapidly after that loss to the Bucs, with reports surfacing that he had already played his final game for Green Bay. Just when it seemed Green Bay was now Love's team, Rodgers showed up on the first day of training camp after reaching an agreement with the Packers' top brass that he can ask for a trade after this season.
With Rodgers returning to the Packers, Love will have to make do with preseason reps this year. According to LaFleur, Love will take majority of the snaps in Green Bay's first preseason game against the Houston Texans on Saturday, with Kurt Benkert finishing the contest.
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