Aaron Rodgers likely to sit out preseason as Jordan Love will play first NFL games of his career

The Green Bay Packers already know what they’ve in Aaron Rodgers. The 2021 preseason will lastly be a possibility for Jordan Love. 

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur stated Tuesday he does not count on Rodgers to play this preseason.

“I’d say most probably not,” LaFleur stated to reporters previous to Packers coaching camp observe Tuesday. “Jordan goes to take the vast majority of the sport (first preseason sport) and Kurt (Benkert) will go in there.” 

The Packers have solely Love and Benkert on the quarterback depth chart after Rodgers, so these two will see the snaps within the preseason. The NFL didn’t have a preseason final 12 months, so Love did not see any sport reps in any respect in his rookie season (Rodgers took all of the common season snaps). Love principally had a redshirt season in his first 12 months within the league. 

“I am tremendous excited for it,” Love stated earlier within the week, via NFL.com. “The final time I performed a sport was the Senior Bowl popping out of school. Over a year-and-a-half in the past, I believe. I am tremendous excited. That is the second I have been getting ready for ever since final 12 months. It is nearly like I have been coaching a 12 months only for this primary preseason game. I am tremendous excited to get on the market and get again to enjoying ball.”

Love’s preseason will likely be a superb indicator on how far alongside he’s in his improvement, particularly since Rodgers may discover his method out of Inexperienced Bay after this season. The Packers used a first-round choose on Love for a purpose — and ultimately will begin him. 

Rodgers’ contract runs by the 2022 season earlier than he turns into a free agent, however he may ask for a commerce after this season. Inexperienced Bay can also’t use the franchise tag on Rodgers after the 2022 season, so Love may have two years — at most — to develop. 

This preseason will likely be an important one for Love and the Packers, because the crew determines if he is able to develop into the beginning quarterback as quickly as subsequent 12 months.