Packers Will Get a Side by Side Comparison of Jordan Love and Zach Wilson

When the Packers host the Jets for joint practices in August, they will get a side by side comparison of quarterbacks Jordan Love and Zach Wilson. 

One benefit to having joint practices with the New York Jets is that the Green Bay Packers will get a side-by-side comparison of Jordan Love and Zach Wilson.

Leading up to the third preseason game, the Jets will be in town for two practices on August 18th and 19th. It marks the second time the Packers will host joint practices during the three years Matt LaFleur has been the head coach.

Aaron Rodgers is heavily against having joint practices and not afraid of sharing his opposing viewpoint. Rodgers aired his displeasure after the team hosted the Houston Texans in 2019, stating that he wouldn’t mind not doing it for another 14 years.

LaFleur said Rodgers was entitled to his own opinion, but from a coaching perspective, he thought it was beneficial for the team.

LaFleur is clearly in favor of joint practices now having scheduled them in two out of his first three seasons as an NFL head coach. The pandemic very well could have squandered the idea last year, which would have made it three consecutive.

Of course, Rodgers could avoid joint practices altogether by skipping out on training camp and the preseason. However, that has its own repercussions and may send the wrong message.

On the bright side, it would allow Green Bay to get an extensive look at Love. Love ran with the first-team offense during a Rodgers-less minicamp, which was good to see after he missed out on a normal preseason his rookie year. It’s no secret that Love saw very few reps as the third-string quarterback last season.

Allowing Love to get a healthy number of snaps opposite of Wilson might provide a useful measuring stick for the second-year quarterback. The team could find out firsthand how he compares to a second-overall pick expected to have a fruitful NFL career.

Wilson is expected to start immediately after New York used their round pick to select the former BYU quarterback. The Jets hope he can alter the course of a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2010.

Love and Wilson were both first-round picks scouted to have incredible arm talent. If Love outperforms Wilson, the Packers might feel better about his projection as the eventual starter. If Love flops, they may view him as a backup for the foreseeable future.  

 

 

 

Brandon Carwile is a Packers writer who also enjoys watching and breaking down film. Follow him on Twitter @PackerScribe.

4 points
 

Comments (28)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
arthurl's picture

July 09, 2021 at 12:57 pm

I suspect once training camp begins Rodgers will show. It’s either he shows up or decides to sit out the season. The Packers are probably not looking to trade him until the end of the season anyway. As for J Love; all the reps he can get with the ones is the ticket. The Packers have a good team, so if Love has to play, they will be competitive and could even make the playoffs. If ARod is the QB, then it’s SB potential.

Love has talent, he’s on a well coached team. I was recently watching an old game against the Bears, where #12 threw that bomb to Cobb; man we’ve been spoiled almost 30 with great QB play. It’s been a good ride.

11 points
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LambeauPlain's picture

July 09, 2021 at 01:15 pm

Regarding the Jets Practice session: "If Love flops, they may view him as a backup for the foreseeable future."

That's kind of harsh Brandon. Having a one bad practice makes the Pack view Love a backup? Suppose he performs well in the two preseason games before the Jets practice?

11 points
11
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Coldworld's picture

July 09, 2021 at 05:56 pm

It’s not going to happen, either way. Young QBs are erratic. It’s only one factor in many.

3 points
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jannes bjornson's picture

July 09, 2021 at 09:59 pm

A reflection on idiocy. What is controversy? Let's get down to brass tacks and remove the mind of the FAN away from TMZ soap opera or the concurrent espn drivel machine-Sad.

0 points
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TarynsEyes's picture

July 09, 2021 at 01:19 pm

A comparison of Love to Wilson is fraudulent from the start as the Jets offensively aren't in the same parameters of the Packers offense. Love by this point should look better than Wilson could be expected. Neither has taken a snap against an opponent but that is where the similar base for comparison ends.

I will add this, many do not seem to grasp how well Love needs to play to not only take advantage of the offense he may lead but to protect the defense that his average or less debut season, game by game, play will hurt this defense more than it already hurts itself when allowed or put into a situation by coaching errors, ignorance or simple ineptitude.

Perhaps it's best to hope that Wilson doesn't show a high bar as that may force many to realize that Love wasn't worth the move in the draft after all. But to many a chagrin here as has been expressed, Rodgers will same this from a more possible reality for another season, at least. Happy Season Success, right? The Division Title should be a near lock still, right?

-9 points
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porupack's picture

July 09, 2021 at 03:30 pm

WHHHAAA?
>>>>>Perhaps it's best to hope that Wilson doesn't show a high bar as that may force many to realize that Love wasn't worth the move in the draft after all. <<<<

So we should be pessimistic, and hope Wilson is a flop, just so we can say Love wasn't worth the move afterall.

And if all packer-dom admits what you want them to admit, how exactly does that help anything? With your level of negativity it just doesn't seem like sports would be fun. I'd rather weed the flowerbeds than hope for failure so we can all admit the GM made a mistake with low bar of expectations.

9 points
12
3
TarynsEyes's picture

July 09, 2021 at 08:41 pm

"So we should be pessimistic, and hope Wilson is a flop, just so we can say Love wasn't worth the move after all."

If Wilson does flop, that will make the talking-up of Love that much easier, as the excuses needed will be kept in the back pocket for another time to be pulled out for his defense, and to reinforce his drafting.

Hoping for Wilson to flop isn't what I hope for, I want him to play lights out to see if Love can light his play up, and justify his drafting. Love has a year in the system with the playbook, and being coached up and throwing, I don't want to hear about missing camp last year, he was with the team during the practices in season. He should be a good distance ahead of Wilson.

1 points
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Coldworld's picture

July 09, 2021 at 08:56 pm

He threw more passes in mini camp than in practice the whole of last season and virtually none in what passed for a preseason. Sorry, I can’t follow your logic or find a basis for your factual assumptions.

I don’t know how good Love will be, but I am certainly aware that he has physical ability and I’m going to give him the chance I gave Rodgers when many thought him a bust made out of glass. This one may not turn out as well, but that one was far from obvious too.

2 points
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jannes bjornson's picture

July 09, 2021 at 10:00 pm

Love is by far the better QB. Stronger long ball. Wilson creates and can manage,but I wouldn't put Vegas cash on the line.

3 points
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TheVOR's picture

July 10, 2021 at 07:24 am

What I think is likely to happen, is that Dumb and Dumber in the front office in GB will get a look at what a real NFL arm looks like in Wilson. That way when they step up to draft another QB, they'll actually know what they're looking for.

I have no faith that Jordan Love is an NFL talent. Thinking he can lead this team to a winning season is a bunch of Rainbows and Unicorns talk from a fan base that for 3 decades hasn't had to watch the reality of bad QB play.

Remember the worse season we've had to endure on 30 years? You know, that season Rodgers broke his collar bone? Get ready to watch more of that, only with a worse QB. If 12 isn't on the field, they won't win 5 games.

-8 points
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MarkinMadison's picture

July 10, 2021 at 08:59 am

Was there ever a point in time where you were happy to be a Packer fan? It could not have been during the 2010 season, because that was very up and down. 1996? I mean, why do you follow something that gives you so much misery a pessimism?

4 points
5
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splitpea1's picture

July 09, 2021 at 02:15 pm

I can see why coaches see value in these practices and experienced QBs do not. I'll bet Rodgers wishes he could just bring along his beach chair for these two sessions.

Head-to-head comparisons with Wilson (who hasn't actually signed yet) during two days of joint practices shouldn't really influence any long-term projections for Love; that's going to be more of gradual process.

10 points
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ricky's picture

July 09, 2021 at 03:02 pm

There may well be a reason that Rodgers seems so relaxed, so care free and cavalier as far as the QB situation is developing in GB. After all, he is a guy who has worked closely with Love for over a year, has seen him on the field, in the film room, in the weight room, interacting with teammates. And he doesn't seemed the least bit fazed, worried or even concerned that the Packers have a viable alternative to him at QB. This is an entrenched, three time league MVP and one time SB MVP looking at the situation and thinking, "Nah, nothing to worry about." Whether this confidence is justified will be playing out in the next few weeks. Maybe Love will look great in the preseason, then flop in the regular season (think of Travis Jervey averaging 9,9 YPC in the preseason, then becoming JAG in the regular season). Whatever happens, Rodgers seems to feel he is in the cat bird seat.

0 points
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Savage57's picture

July 09, 2021 at 03:16 pm

Like how Favre viewed Rodgers when he came in with his 'tude and the janky ball position.

3 points
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ricky's picture

July 09, 2021 at 04:36 pm

Rodgers had three years of development and a QB development guru HC. After a year, Rodgers wouldn't have been ready. Is it likely that Love is? Rodgers certainly doesn't think so. Besides, Favre had been musing about retirement for quite some time. Rodgers had made it clear he wants to retire a Packer, and wants to play into his 40's. It is the team that decided they had to make a move at his replacement, moving up in the draft, rather than having Rodgers unexpectedly fall to them. So the situations are hardly alike.

6 points
6
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jannes bjornson's picture

July 09, 2021 at 10:03 pm

Rodgers could have easily supplanted the hillbilly in 2007. Another missed trade by Ted.

-1 points
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KnockTheSnotOutOfYou's picture

July 10, 2021 at 10:40 am

Ricky,
Everything points to Jordan Love who is very young for an NFL QB being talented. How quickly he ascends and has the knowledge/experience to be a top QB appears to be the question. However, no one knows the answer to that!

I DO NOT believe Rodgers is anywhere near as relaxed and comfortable in private as you would like to believe. When the fan base, media, and executives in the NFL are ripping on him there is no way Rodgers is nonchalant about it. It affects you and you certainly question whether what you are doing is the right thing. It is only natural for any of us to feel that way. Rodgers is playing a part for the public. Without any of us knowing what is really going on between Rodgers and the FO the image Rodgers is showing has more to do with he doesn't care how talented Love might be....he just wants out of GB.

0 points
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croatpackfan's picture

July 10, 2021 at 12:21 pm

Ricky, you believe that, basically, blackmailing franchise that pays you for a contract means he is relaxed? Bravo...

-1 points
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croatpackfan's picture

July 10, 2021 at 12:21 pm

Ricky, you believe that, basically, blackmailing franchise that pays you for a contract means he is relaxed? Bravo...

-1 points
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barutanseijin's picture

July 11, 2021 at 07:19 pm

Could be a lot of reasons unrelated to Love:

1) He’s retiring and he doesn’t care

2) He’s going to hold out

3) He knows he’s going to another team

4) He cares more about his golf game or TV career or some other non-Packer or non-football thing.

5) He’s prioritizing his mental health by not getting into exactly this kind of thing

0 points
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HarryHodag's picture

July 09, 2021 at 03:13 pm

What does it matter how Love looks vs. Wilson?

If Rodgers doesn't show up the Packers have little option except to go with Love. Bortles might come around, but at this point he's just a backup.

The Packers are stuck with Love given a Rodgers holdout so whether he looks good or not, there really isn't an option.

I'm not convinced fully that the Packers might move Love to a QB hungry team to pave the way for Rodgers to return.

3 points
4
1
jannes bjornson's picture

July 09, 2021 at 10:05 pm

Benkert may move Bortles out of the picture. He was sold at Virginia.

2 points
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Qoojo's picture

July 10, 2021 at 10:38 am

It's July and these poor writers have to write about something. Pitting one draft pick against another is a basic trope to generate some discussion, as there is always some armchair GM that knew better.

Problem is that it's not much of a comparison anyone cares about because he stayed with the same position for a backup position (currently). If the article compared Love to WR or something else the herd considers a dire need, then it would have generated more people.

2 points
2
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Packers0808's picture

July 09, 2021 at 07:56 pm

If Rodgers never shows or plays again I wonder what be said if Love and the Pack win it all w/o Rodgers! Wouldn't that be real kick of reality for the Bun Hair Man!?

13 points
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4
joejetson's picture

July 09, 2021 at 08:42 pm

If the bears can make the postseason with Trubisky and a.good defense, why can't GB make it with Love? They have certainly invested enough resources in the defense.

4 points
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jannes bjornson's picture

July 09, 2021 at 10:05 pm

It will Not be said.

0 points
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porupack's picture

July 09, 2021 at 03:34 pm

Yeah, I also don't see what Wilson has to do with anything, except for fans to either grumble or gloat. For fans, its our job to grumble and gloat, which is frosting on the entertainment cake, but other than that, no value.

9 points
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KnockTheSnotOutOfYou's picture

July 10, 2021 at 10:48 am

How Jordan Love looks on the same practice field as Zach Wilson has nothing to do with how talented Love might be, or how good he might be in the NFL.

At this very moment Jordan Love is in Austin, Texas practicing with DeShaun Watson, and Justin Fields along with a long list of A-Players and WR's. If you want to compare QB's without full pads and hot blitzes this would likely be a better comparison. Watson has his Personal QB Trainer, Quincy Avery there and David Mulugheta who is Watson's (maybe Love's) agent there sending out social media blips about the practices.

4 points
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