Patriots: This trade for Jordan Love could give New England a franchise quarterback
By Mike Luciano
If the Packers don’t end up trading Aaron Rodgers, should the Patriots target Jordan Love?
Aaron Rodgers set Twitter ablaze following the Packers’ anticlimactic playoff exit against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship game, claiming that he has an uncertain future in Green Bay given his age and the presence of 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love.
As unusual as it may sound, Love might end up being the quarterback Green Bay parts with, as Rodgers is coming off of an MVP season and has multiple years left on his deal.
We don’t know that for sure, but it’s not an outlandish assumption. Why keep paying a first-round pick to ride the bench for the next three years if you plan on keeping Rodgers, who’s about to win another MVP?
Thank god the Packers picked Jordan Love with their first pick. He has been unstoppable this season and is really showing out in the postseason.
— Connor Kelley (@_connorkelley_) January 24, 2021
As long as Rodgers is kicking butt in Green Bay, there will be some trade rumors surrounding Love and the Packers. One team that could take Love off of Green Bay’s hands is the New England Patriots, who could try to solve their quarterback quandary after an up-and-down season with Cam Newton under center.
The New England Patriots could get a potential franchise quarterback in Jordan Love without giving up a ton of picks
Love might only have one year of truly solid production at Utah State, but his traits make it easy to see why he was picked so high, as his deep accuracy, blistering arm strength, and mobility helped him become the fourth QB taken in 2020.
For all of Josh McDaniels’ faults as a play designer and caller, he has shown that he can use a mobile quarterback’s legs to great effect with Newton this year. Love’s concerns as a prospect are centered mostly around his poor decision making and tendency to hold onto the football. By getting him a very safe offense in his first year as a starter (maximizing high-percentage throws and giving him room to run, à la Brian Daboll and Josh Allen), Love could be in good hands.
The Patriots need to so something about their poor play at quarterback, and Love could give them a cheap alternative to high-priced trade options, provided that they aren’t sold on any of the quarterbacks in the 2021 draft. Love has a very low floor, but he has a very high ceiling, and Belichick might need to take a chance on him to make the Patriots a playoff team again in the post-Tom Brady era.
