Panic or Non-Story? Jordan Love Will Not Practice At Training Camp Until His Contract Extension With The Packers Is Done

Ryan Kang. Getty Images.

Green Bay Packers training camp kicked off today and the biggest question looming centered on the whereabouts of one Jordan Love. The Packers front office and Love have been negotiating his contract extension for the better part of the offseason. As practices got under way today the Packers starting QB was not out there under center. 

This whole story headlined the NFL day and rightfully so. When there's Packers QB news like this it gives you PTSD of Favre or Rodgers. I don't necessarily think there's a lot here to be worried about though. Here's why:

-If the two sides are in the middle or nearing the end of negotiations, it wouldn't make any sense for Love to risk injury on the field. God forbid he goes down with an ACL then the tone of those talks drastically shifts. No good agent lets their client risk the amount of money that's at stake here. 

-Love is there, participating in meetings. If he wasn't in the building at all it's a little different of a story, but he's there. He's just not actually playing. Earlier in the summer he participated and did everything that was required of him. 

-Kenny Clark just agreed to a 3 year, $64M contract extension. I don't think they'd lock him up without knowing Love was also in the bag too. 

-GM Brian Gutekunst basically bet his career on Love when he traded up in the 2020 draft to take him in the first round. He doubled down when he helped orchestrated the exit of Aaron Rodgers. In his first season as the starter, Love led the Pack to the playoffs and even knocked off the Cowboys once there. He was statistically the best QB in the 2nd half of the season once he settled in. You simply have to pay the man, even if the sample size isn't as big as you'd want it to be. 

It is crazy to think Love sat the first three years of his career, started one season, and is already in line to receive a top-dollar contract. His last 9 or so games were incredible, but the first 9 made you very worried. Still, he's about to get a monster deal because that's who it works. You can't have it any better than that. NFL QB contracts are silly. If your current deal is up and your team believes you're the guy, you're going to reach the top of the market. Patrick Mahomes currently has the 10th highest AAV at his position. Now that partially has to do with the length of his deal, but the fact that there are nine guys above the clear best QB in the league is nuts. Some guys ahead of him? Trevor Lawrence, Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, and Deshaun Watson. Worth noting that Watson shares the same agent in David Mulugheta. If he can get Deshaun that monster contract then I think Love will be just fine. It's kinda crazy, but I wouldn't be shocked if Love ended up at the top of the list with a $56M AAV. With the way the cap is constantly increasing and the popularity of the NFL, that number will look like a bargain by like 2027. 

You'd love to start camp without any theatrics or distractions, but I think both sides come to an agreement very soon. If this draws out into August then you can worry, but right now it's a non-story as far as I'm concerned.

P.S. Sean Clifford vs. Michael Pratt with the 1s right now is some kind of fever dream I want out of.