There have been a lot of varying opinions shared about what to expect from Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love in the 2023 season. There is a lot of pressure starting for the first time, but it is not the only thing that he has to worry about.
Love has the tall task of replacing a legendary player, as Aaron Rodgers leaves some big shoes to fill. On top of that, he replaced a Hall of Famer in Brett Favre, so Love has 30 years of legacy to carry on. Heading into Year 4 of his contract, Love has this season to prove that he is the long-term answer for the Packers, otherwise, they will start looking elsewhere.
Having to replace a legendary player and all that comes with it is one of the major concerns that Peter King of NBC Sports has for Love and the Packers heading into the 2023 season. The second major concern is the supporting cast around him.
In addition to his own lack of experience, the Packers have taken an unorthodox approach to filling out the offense around him. There isn’t a single wide receiver on the roster who has more than one season of NFL experience. On top of that, his top two tight ends are very likely going to be rookies. King believes that could lead to some struggles.
“I expect Love will have a shakier first year than Favre’s in 1992 (8-5, 85.3 rating) or Rodgers’ in 2008 (6-10, 93.8). Outside of the veteran backfield, Love’s skill group is incredibly green. It’s likely that each of Green Bay’s top five pass-catchers will be a product of the last two drafts: wideouts Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs (drafted in 2022) and slot receiver Jayden Reed (’23), with two rookies — Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft — likely to be the top tight ends. (Musgrave has had a monster camp.) Some teams skew young, but imagine Love’s dual challenges: following two Hall-of-Famers at sports’ toughest position to master, and relying on five receivers age 24, 23, 23, 22 and 22.”
While there will assuredly be some bumps in the road in 2023, the Packers have to feel good about how things have looked thus far in training camp. Love has led two touchdown drives out of the five he has played against the Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots in the preseason.
He seems to be developing chemistry and cohesion with all of his weapons, who certainly aren’t lacking in talent. All of the players that King mentioned have immense potential but will need some time to develop it.
Bringing in some experienced players at wide receiver or tight end certainly wouldn’t be the worst idea. But, given how well the unit has gelled in training camp, it could be best for the Packers to just stay the course and ride things out. They aren’t expecting to contend in 2023 but can lay a strong foundation in the future during the season.
