Best Pick of the Night:
Jordan Love (QB) to the Green Bay Packers at No. 26. Nearly everyone I spoke to before the draft said Love's talent was too good to pass up in the first round. "Best pure thrower in the draft," one league exec said. Green Bay needs wide receiver help, but the depth of the wideout class allows the Packers to get a starter on Day 2. Go bold or go home.
Kevin Seifert, national NFL writer
Which of the Round 1 quarterbacks is in the best place for long-term success?
Utah State's Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers. There is zero expectation that Love will play as a rookie, and probably not in 2021, either. It doesn't happen much anymore, but there is no better environment for a young quarterback than to sit behind an established starter on a competitive team. It worked for current Packers starter Aaron Rodgers in 2005-07, as well as Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes in 2017.
Honestly, I don't know what that coverage was, but MY GOD that looked terrible to watch. Every work-from-homer's video conference call nightmares in draft pundit format.
I'm glad they eventually sort of piped down enough to let David Bakhtiari try to speak half a sentence before talking over him as he continued.
Have we seen any other Packer player reactions? I don't follow them on Twitter, but I know several people here do. Any word from James Jones, the Aaron Rodgers-media connection?
I posted the 4 I could find by current or former Packers that directly tagged Jordan.
Re: Round 1 (26) - Jordan Love, QB Utah State
Posted: 24 Apr 2020 13:56
by YoHoChecko
FiveThirtyEight found that Love was the 5th best value in the first round in terms of pre-draft probability of being selected prior to the spot they were chosen:
One thing people also need to remember about this draft, this isn't like a typical year. Usually if you miss out on a guy or position, there's nothing but street FA level guys or trades, maybe some rando cuts, until next Free Agency next year.
This year is going to be different. The supplemental draft is likely to be absolutely insane due to the serious potential of no or a reduced NCAA season. Its not going to be the typical scrub prospects and guys with questionable issues. Very real chance you are going to see many legit high pick guys.
With GB set to get a few comp picks next year, they can afford to be aggressive in the supplemental draft if it does in fact turn out to be crazy. This was a great year to let guys walk for comp picks.
Have we seen any other Packer player reactions? I don't follow them on Twitter, but I know several people here do. Any word from James Jones, the Aaron Rodgers-media connection?
I posted the 4 I could find by current or former Packers that directly tagged Jordan.
Oh sorry, I missed those. Mildly underwhelming welcoming committee. Driver long gone, while Jenkins, Za'Darius, and Burks all pretty new faces--but at least some leadership in there.
Have we seen any other Packer player reactions? I don't follow them on Twitter, but I know several people here do. Any word from James Jones, the Aaron Rodgers-media connection?
I posted the 4 I could find by current or former Packers that directly tagged Jordan.
Oh sorry, I missed those. Mildly underwhelming welcoming committee. Driver long gone, while Jenkins, Za'Darius, and Burks all pretty new faces--but at least some leadership in there.
Yep. It was late last night too and some may have done it via other means.
there will be another Love nexy year and the year after.
That's the thing that bums me.
We came oh-so-close to a SB berth last year and were positioned to make another strong run if we could fill a few holes with immediate contributors. So far, all we've done is lose a couple more significant pieces (Bulaga, Martinez) and replaced them with two arguably less talented and/or injury prone FA's. Oh, and an injury prone possession receiver in Funchess.
Not seeing a whole lot of roster progression there.
And now to see the GM select yet another piece for the future when it's very likely an equal caliber prospect will be available in any given year and the frustration builds. I mean, yeah, Love has talent but he is very raw and coming from a small school system which will require significant time to develop. Those guys are there every year. Heck, I'm not even convinced he's a viable backup to Rodgers this first year.
Add in we gave up a 4th to move up and it's, well, just a bit deflating.
I am just trying to digest and rationalize this pick. And I have a thought that may or may not have been influential in the decision. Could the implications of Covid-19 on the NFL season have had any influence on BG's decision to pick a QB? We are hearing talk of postponing or even canceling the upcoming NFL season. Well that right there would be one more year of AR's career that didn't result in a championship. Hell, if we're being honest we really don't even know for sure that there could be a 2021 season. That goes for college as well. So, you don't know if there will be a 2020 NFL or college season. You have an old QB under contract for a few more years. There's a QB you like in the first round- you want to build around him for the future. If you don't pick him, you run the risk of entering the 2021 calendar year with a huge unknown because there will be no 2020 game tape, scouting reports, etc.. So they picked him.
Sorry for the stream of consciousness writing there. I'm not saying it makes sense, but I'm just trying to cover every conceivable angle from BG's perspective.
Re: Round 1 (26) - Jordan Love, QB Utah State
Posted: 24 Apr 2020 14:27
by YoHoChecko
I'm genuinely surprised by the split from fan to pundit reaction. Mostly, I'm surprised the pundit reaction is overwhelmingly positive. I mean OVERWHELMINGLY positive. I've been looking everywhere today, and people are lauding us. That surprises me. But it's even more surprising given how much the fans hated.
Re: Round 1 (26) - Jordan Love, QB Utah State
Posted: 24 Apr 2020 14:32
by Sconnie Tradition
I did not like the pick. If I were going to trade up a few spots I would have gone for Queen. If all the WR's that I wanted were gone I would have tried to trade back 8-10 spots and get another pick in order to use to trade back up higher into the 2nd or 3rd rounds.
The fact that have not taken a primo WR high (except for Davante Adams in the 2nd round) is def frustrating.
Nothing against Jordan Love and I certainly wish him the best but man, we were just in the NFC Championship Game. The window is closing. Rodgers wants to play and has not hinted at retirement like Favre. I love this pick if it is two years from now.
By the way I disliked the Gary pick as well last year. The Packers clearly like going for projects high in the draft rather than sure things. I think when you are that close to the Super Bowl you need to go more for the sure things.
Re: Round 1 (26) - Jordan Love, QB Utah State
Posted: 24 Apr 2020 14:42
by Pckfn23
I just can't get over the timing of this... Rodgers has 4 years left on his contract. His contract is uncuttable and untradeable for the next 2 years. If we cut him for June 1, 2022, we eat $17,204,000 and save $22,648,000. If we cut him after June 1, 2022, we eat $14,352,000 in 2022 and $2,852,000 in 2023, save $25,500,000 in 2022.
One of my big things is that it is important to try and maximize the cheapness of a rookie QBs contract and strike while that iron is hot. I am not particularly fond of having $14.352 million in dead for 2022, but the $25.5 million savings would be very helpful. So at best Love is starting in his 3rd year, and at worst he is starting in his 5th year. Although if the latter is the case, it means Rodgers is playing well. I worry that we won't be able to pull off the cheap 2nd contract with Love that we did with Rodgers. That would mean our cheap rookie QB window is at most 3 years long.
What also gets me is that we could have found a Jordan Love type QB at any point in the next 3 years and still gave him 1 year behind Rodgers to hone his craft. Rodgers has not been playing particularly well these last few seasons, so this pick isn't completely baffling. Also kind of sad knowing Rodgers will not be on this team 2 or 3 years from now. I still am not liking the pick all that much, but I sort of understand it. If anything it was BOLD move by Gutenkunst. It is going to make or break his career in Green Bay.
Sorry if that was rambling, I typing while I was thinking it all through.
Re: Round 1 (26) - Jordan Love, QB Utah State
Posted: 24 Apr 2020 14:47
by williewasgreat
Love kind of reminds me of Jameis Winston. Similar size, arm strength and interceptions.
"He's the only QB I ever scouted that will throw into bigger windows in the pros than he did in college"
That really stands out watching some of his tape. Like he's trying to throw his receivers open and fit it in places defenders can't get to, but those receivers just can't go get it, or it bounces off their hands.
One thing people also need to remember about this draft, this isn't like a typical year. Usually if you miss out on a guy or position, there's nothing but street FA level guys or trades, maybe some rando cuts, until next Free Agency next year.
This year is going to be different. The supplemental draft is likely to be absolutely insane due to the serious potential of no or a reduced NCAA season. Its not going to be the typical scrub prospects and guys with questionable issues. Very real chance you are going to see many legit high pick guys.
With GB set to get a few comp picks next year, they can afford to be aggressive in the supplemental draft if it does in fact turn out to be crazy. This was a great year to let guys walk for comp picks.
And to add to this, there also seem to be far more veteran free agents available than previous years. The doubts about a season even played plus the lack of visits means there's a fair amount of starter level talent still available.
One guy I was keen on was Taylor Gabriel. Cut by the Bears so won't affect our comp picks, I reckon he's the kind of receiver who Rodgers could do business with should we not get the help we need in the draft. Guys like DT Snacks Harrison and TE Delanie Walker too.
I'm genuinely surprised by the split from fan to pundit reaction. Mostly, I'm surprised the pundit reaction is overwhelmingly positive. I mean OVERWHELMINGLY positive. I've been looking everywhere today, and people are lauding us. That surprises me. But it's even more surprising given how much the fans hated.
I'm not. They get to do their jobs without consideration of the salary cap. That's Russ Ball's job and its a difficult and they don't give a &%$@ about it. As fans, we do, and everything I read on this board suggests that is the main area the divide exists.
Re: Round 1 (26) - Jordan Love, QB Utah State
Posted: 24 Apr 2020 15:59
by pack power
I had said we are one play away from a championship team to a zero team and QB needed to be addressed and that I thought we would pick one up in the draft, but I didn't expect it to be in the first round. So, do we still need to attempt pick up a "backup QB" or do we have Love be that. Probably be Love, like it or not. I cant see us having 3 active QBs. I am too busy with yard work so only this one comment on Love. I will be watching the draft tonight for some more surprises perhaps. Enjoy the only sports show for another two times.
Re: Round 1 (26) - Jordan Love, QB Utah State
Posted: 24 Apr 2020 16:01
by British
Great film breakdown of Love. Interesting that the author makes a Rodgers comp, even though it was made a few weeks ago.
We suck one year, so let’s go big in FA and double down on our QB. Oh, we only got to the NFC Championship game, let’s not make our team more competitive next year and start building for that 2024 championship run.
Why go so big in FA a year ago and then do this? Z, Preston, Amos, Turner, lucky if one of them is even on the roster when we are ready to compete with Love, those decisions gunna end up costing us guys like Linsley, King and/or Aaron Jones.
This is the part of the fan reaction that I can't get there with and I think is flawed.
Again, I do not think this was the right pick at the right time. So I am empathetic to that. But the notion that we are, at any given time, EITHER building for 2024 or building for 2020 doesn't ring at all true to me. The 49ers, a team we are looking to compare ourselves with and emulate, got Deebo Samuel in round 2 last year, and he ended up being a key cog in that offense. If we spend the next two picks on WR and ILB, then we come out of the first two nights of the draft having filled our two biggest immediate needs while also planning for the future.
If we get guys like Joe Reed or Darrynton Evans or Enjo Benjamin or Darnell Mooney on Day three, then we've also sprinkled explosive role players throughout the offense to develop into this offense and help Rodgers out by the end of the rookie year. If we grab Danny Pinter late and maybe Ezra Cleveland falls to us in the second, then we've added two of the draft's most athletic OL to develop and keep us whole when Linsley departs or Wagner gets injured or moves on.
I am a bit deflated; I am disappointed. I feel like the timing on this was 1-2 years early. I get it. But I do not, at all, think that this means that the team has in any way given up on or closed the door on the end of Rodgers' era here. Last year, we drafted Gary first--an uber athletic, talented player at a premium position who was likely to be stuck behind our expensive free agent acquisitions for a year. Then we addressed three big needs with a FS and an iOL and a TE to develop (since they never do anything as rookies). I expect a similar approach here. Go big for what you view as rare talent first. Then fill the needs afterward.