The Green Bay Packers had one of the most interesting contract situations this offseason. Quarterback Jordan Love was entering the final year of his rookie contract after having a phenomenal 2023 season. As a result, it led to many people speculating the Packers would award him a contract extension before the start of the 2024 season.
Well, eventually, Green Bay did exactly this. However, some horrific news for Love and the Packers may have people second guessing whether or not this was a good idea.
Jordan Love Suffers MCL Injury in Week 1
Last night, the Green Bay Packers played the first ever NFL game in Brazil against the Philadelphia Eagles. However, with just seconds left on the clock, Love went down and appeared to hurt his leg. This came late in a game that had several players slipping and sliding on the field like it was an ice rink.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Jordan Love suffered an MCL injury. This injury is rumored to be somewhere between a Grade 1 and Grade 2 MCL sprain.
What does this mean? Based on average recovery time for these types of injuries, Love may be out anywhere from three to six weeks. If he suffers a setback during the recovery process, this could be even longer.
Green Bay Packers’ Upcoming Schedule
Malik Willis is the only other quarterback on the Packers’ depth chart at the time of writing. He is an unproven quarterback, to say the least. Here is who the Packers may have to play with a backup quarterback:
- vs. Indianapolis Colts
- at Tennessee Titans
- vs. Minnesota Vikings
- at Los Angeles Rams
- vs. Arizona Cardinals
- vs. Houston Texans
Did Green Bay Pay Jordan Love Too Soon?
There is a legitimate argument the Packers jumped the gun when it comes to paying Jordan Love. Green Bay awarded him a 4-year extension worth $220 million. That is about a $40 million raise from Love’s original expected salary for this season.
Now, Love may miss a good portion of the season and may not be the same quarterback when he returns. Plus, he was only the starting quarterback for one season before Green Bay decided to award him with a massive contract extension.
The Packers started last season 2-5. However, Love and the Packers got hot enough to make a playoff run and pull off a historical upset in the wild card round, becoming the first 7-seed ever to win a playoff game.
Still, no one would have blamed the Packers for wanting to see more from Love before awarding him a massive contract. If Green Bay would have held off, there would have been a much better chance of the team having leverage for a more team-friendly contract following an injury like this.
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