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Duane Burleson/Associated Press
With Aaron Rodgers set to return to the Green Bay Packers, the offseason spotlight now swings to backup quarterback Jordan Love.
On Tuesday morning, Pat McAfee reported the reigning NFL MVP will return to Lambeau for the 2022 season. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Rodgers agreed to a four-year, $200 million deal with $153 million guaranteed, while McAfee said a deal is not in place yet, but added it will be “cap friendly.”
Regardless, Rodgers is staying in Green Bay, which casts doubt on Love’s future with the team. The 2020 first-round pick has logged only 131 snaps in two seasons with the Packers and has two years left on his rookie contract.
There’s some precedent for a backup like Love getting traded on his rookie deal. The Patriots shipped Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers for a second-round pick at the 2017 trade deadline. The Atlanta Falcons moved up two spots in the first round and got two second-rounders for Matt Schaub back in 2007.
A few NFL scouts told Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy that the Packers may be able to get a second-round pick for Love. The following teams may be willing to offer something along those lines to take a shot on the young quarterback.
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Zach Bolinger/Associated Press
Packers Receive: 2022 third-round pick (No. 82 overall), 2023 third-round pick
Colts Receive: QB Jordan Love
When the Packers made the stunning move to trade up to No. 26 to take Love in the 2020 draft, they might have beat the Colts to the punch. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (h/t Chris Shepherd of Stampede Blue) reported the Colts had discussed moving up to take the Utah State quarterback.
Two years later, it might make sense for the Colts to revisit the idea of trading for Love.
The Colts traded a third-round pick and what wound up becoming a first-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Carson Wentz last offseason in the hope that he’d become their long-term answer under center. Instead, they appear to be re-evaluating their options at quarterback this offseason.
On Super Bowl Sunday, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported Wentz’s future with the team “looks bleak.” After last week’s scouting combine, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported there is “no momentum” on a Wentz trade.
If the Colts release Wentz rather than trade him, they’d be left with a $15 million dead cap charge. However, they would save $13.3 million in cap space.
The final two years of Love’s rookie deal carry cap hits of $3.4 million and $3.9 million, respectively. The Colts could trade for Love, move on from Wentz and keep their cap situation healthy.
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Brynn Anderson/Associated Press
Packers Receive: 2022 second-round pick (No. 49 overall)
Saints Receive: QB Jordan Love
The New Orleans Saints showed a lot of interest in Love during the 2020 draft process, according to Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports. Perhaps they should have been the team to draft him as the replacement for their legendary quarterback all along.
Drew Brees and head coach Sean Payton are both gone, but plenty of the same staff that liked Love is still in New Orleans. The Saints’ need for a quarterback is now much more pronounced, too.
Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston are the in-house options, although the latter is coming off a torn ACL. The free-agent market at quarterback is uninspiring, and the Saints are already $42.3 million over the cap anyway. They also won’t be on the clock until the No. 18 pick.
By trading for Love, the Saints could get someone whom they were interested in during the draft process two years ago and simultaneously help out their cap situation.
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Keith Srakocic/Associated Press
Packers Receive: 2022 second-round pick (No. 52)
Steelers Receive: QB Jordan Love
The Pittsburgh Steelers are stuck in a quandary at quarterback this offseason. With Ben Roethlisberger retiring and Dwayne Haskins set to become a restricted free agent, Mason Rudolph is the only quarterback whom they currently have under contract.
The Steelers could spend their first-round pick on a quarterback. However, at No. 20, they might have to gamble on their preferred target slipping down the board to them.
Pittsburgh would also have to ignore its pressing need on the offensive line with that pick, too. Roethlisberger wasn’t at his best in his final season, but he also played behind an offensive line that was 26th in Pro Football Focus’ final offensive line rankings.
The Steelers could draft their favorite quarterback at No. 20 and hope they can find offensive line help in the second round. Otherwise, they could draft a first-round talent on the offensive line such as Zion Johnson (scouting report), Tyler Linderbaum (scouting report) or Bernhard Raimann (scouting report) and trade their second-round pick for Love.
That second option is worth serious consideration. Love has been in the league for two years, is the same age as some of the quarterback prospects in this year’s draft class and could be ready to start earlier.
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Michael Conroy/Associated Press
Packers Receive: 2022 third-round pick (No. 72 overall) and 2023 fourth-round pick
Seahawks Receive: QB Jordan Love
Aaron Rodgers wasn’t the only quarterback who made waves on Tuesday. The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks agreed to a trade that sent Russell Wilson and a fourth-round pick to Denver for two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-rounder, Drew Lock, Shelby Harris and Noah Fant.
Although the Seahawks did get a young quarterback in Lock as part of their return for Wilson, they likely aren’t settled at that position.
Back in the 2012 offseason, the Seahawks signed Matt Flynn in free agency. One month later, they drafted Wilson with a third-round pick, giving themselves multiple options at quarterback.
The Seahawks should consider the same approach now. Although they could take a quarterback at No. 9, this class lacks a slam dunk prospect at quarterback. Their two second-rounders (Nos. 41 and 42) might be a bit steep for Love, so they may only be willing to part with a third.
Love is the same age as Kenny Pickett (scouting report) and Matt Corral (scouting report). Rather than gamble on one of them, the Seahawks could instead prefer someone who just sat behind a great quarterback and learned from Rodgers over the last two seasons.
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Adam Hunger/Associated Press
Packers Receive: 2022 second-round pick (No. 42 overall)
Commanders Receive: QB Jordan Love
The Washington Commanders have been surprisingly candid about their search for a quarterback this offseason.
General manager Martin Mayhew and head coach Ron Rivera both talked at the combine about the “due diligence” they’re doing to find a passer this offseason, per John Keim of ESPN. They’ve even compiled a list of roughly 40 quarterbacks to look into and have spoken with every team that could make a quarterback available.
While Keim noted that list included Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers, it may now include Love as well.
The only downside to the Commanders’ candor is that they’ve shown their hand. If the Packers are able to generate a market for Love at all, they will likely get one of their best offers from Washington.
Still, Love could turn out to be the best trade option for the Commanders. With both Rodgers and Wilson off the market, the list of big-name quarterbacks that could become available is quickly dwindling.
Love may start to look like a much better option when Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan might be the most proven quarterbacks available via trade.
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