Is Jordan Love worth the massive contract that the Green Bay Packers are negotiating for him? This is the question on everyone’s minds as the team’s training camp gets underway. Love, who has been participating in practices and organized team activities this summer, is now playing it safe and “holding in” to avoid any potential injuries while contract negotiations continue. And it’s no wonder he wants to protect himself – quarterback contracts in the NFL have been reaching new heights, with Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars recently signing a five-year, $275 million extension with a $37.5 million signing bonus and $200 million guaranteed.
Lawrence’s average annual value of $55 million ties him with Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals for the highest in NFL history. The question is, can Love reach these numbers and prove that he’s worth such a massive deal? With only 18 career starts, and only the last half of those being truly impressive, it seems like a gamble for Green Bay to invest so heavily in Love. In his final 10 games last season, including the playoffs, Love put up impressive numbers with 2,667 yards passing, a 68.7 completion percentage, 21 touchdown passes, three interceptions, a 108.2 QB rating, and a 7-3 record.
However, some agents believe that Love has done enough to warrant a big payday. One agent stated, “Love is young and has shown that the playoff stage wasn’t too big for him. He never complained about sitting behind Aaron Rodgers, and I can’t see why they wouldn’t make him the highest-paid quarterback or close to it.” Others are more skeptical due to the lack of sample size. One agent said, “The Packers should protect themselves with any new contract. Pretty scary.” Another suggested a two-year deal with an average of $45 million fully guaranteed to give the team more time to evaluate Love.
The consensus among agents seems to be that regardless of the sample size, teams have to pay the market rate for a top quarterback. One agent stated, “No players have leverage like quarterbacks. Even if you might have an answer, you pay them.” Another added, “The longer you wait, the more the team will pay.” However, some agents urged caution, pointing out that the Packers might be unable to wait on a new contract and should be worried about overpaying too early.
In the end, it seems that Love will indeed receive a massive deal. One agent confidently said, “Love will have the highest average annual value once a deal gets done.” Only time will tell if Love can live up to the expectations and prove that he’s worth every penny of his record-breaking contract.