There may not be a player in the NFL that is under more pressure in 2023 than Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love. A first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Utah State, there are expectations baked into such a lofty draft position. Teams are expecting you to play at a high level and help the team win games, especially as a quarterback.
Jordan Love has all of that pressure, but even more on top of it because of the legacy that the franchise hopes he continues. The Packers have had 30 years of Hall of Fame production, starting with Brett Favre in the early 90s. He eventually gave way to Aaron Rodgers, who like Love, spent the first three seasons of his career backing up a legend.
Having to follow in the footsteps of one Hall of Fame quarterback is tough enough; following two is something that has never had to be done. The expectations that come with such a situation are one of the reasons that Peter King believes Jordan Love is in for a shaky first season as the Packers starter.
Attempting to continue the Hall of Fame level of production is not easy. It is something very few players are capable of doing. On top of that, Jordan Love is surrounded by players who have about as much experience as he does.
That is the second reason why King believes the 2020 first-round pick is in for a tough season. The inexperience of the supporting cast around him, mainly his pass catchers, is something King thinks will hurt him in 2023.
“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.”
The most experienced tight end on the roster, Tyler Davis, tore his ACL in the preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals and will be out for the season. That is a big loss as Davis was expected to take over a larger role in the offense this upcoming season.
There is no denying the talent that the young pass catchers on the Packers’ roster possess; they are all capable of finding success in the NFL. However, so much inexperience will lead to some bumps in the road.
Bringing in an experienced player, whether it is at tight end or wide receiver, would likely do Jordan Love some good. Having a reliable veteran to lean on for production and leadership would be ideal.
