There is little debate that Jordan Love was among the elite QBs down the stretch last year, but does a half season and a two-game playoff run guarantee the Green Bay Packers that they have a player worthy of a massive extension?
That is the question the franchise has to answer this offseason, as Love is under contract through 2024 on a deal that could pay him up to $22.5 million next year but guarantees him only $13.5 million, per Spotrac.
According to a concise summation from Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report on Thursday, March 28, it would behoove the Packers to wait another full season before making any major financial decisions on their quarterback.
While some, like Gagnon, believe Green Bay should take a wait-and-see approach with Love, the front office appears to disagree.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo reported in February that the Packers intend to at least consider extending Love on a “fair-market” deal at some point over the summer.
“The Packers are expected to be willing to discuss a new, fair-market deal for Love that pays him like a true starter,” they reported. “QB deals often happen in June or before the start of training camp, and that timeline makes sense. Still just 25 years old, Love is now in line for the first big-time payday of his career.”
What “fair market” means is a matter of debate, though any answer is likely to approach $50 million annually. Four quarterbacks already earn at least that much in annual average value on their current contracts, according to Over The Cap, and more signal-callers in — or approaching — their primes will join that group as they come up for new deals and the NFL salary cap continues to rise.