Aaron Rodgers is on the clock.
In a strikingly similar move to when Rodgers was selected by the Packers in 2005 to be Brett Favre’s backup and the future of the franchise, Green Bay made Thursday night’s most stunning move of the 2020 NFL Draft, preparing for the 36-year-old superstar’s eventual departure and trading up to take Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with the 26th-overall pick.
Rodgers, who was taken 24th overall out of Cal and spent three years as Favre’s backup before winning a Super Bowl and a pair of MVPs, is one year older than Favre was in 2005. However, Rodgers led the Packers to last season’s NFC Championship game — throwing for 4,002 yards, 26 touchdowns and four interceptions on the season.
Green Bay gave up the 30th-overall pick and a fourth-round selection to land Love, a supremely gifted passer whose flawed decision-making led to a nation-worst 17 interceptions last season.
“I can learn a lot from Aaron Rodgers,” Love said. “That’s one of the best in the game. I’m excited to come in behind him and learn as much as I can.”
Aaron Rodgers, Jordan LoveGetty Images (2)Like Rodgers, Love will have time until his turn. The 21-year-old’s time could come by 2022, though, even though Rodgers still has three years left on his contract. The Packers need to determine whether to exercise Love’s fifth-year option after the conclusion of his third season.
Love, whose only FBS scholarship offer out of high school was to Utah State, was a breakout star as a sophomore, throwing for 32 touchdowns and six interceptions while leading the Aggies to an 11-2 record. But the 6-foot-3 quarterback badly regressed this past season, throwing for 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions for a 7-6 squad. Against three Power Five opponents, Love was at his worst, throwing for three touchdowns and eight interceptions.
“You’ve got to take the good with the bad,” Love said at the draft combine. “It’s never fun, but if I don’t want to talk about it, I don’t have to throw 17 interceptions next time.”
Love is the first player since Dan Marino (1983) to lead the nation in interceptions and get selected in the first round, and also became the Packers’ first skill-position pick in the first round since Rodgers, who has since made 174 starts with Green Bay and set numerous all-time league records, including the highest-ever career passer rating.
But there is life after Rodgers. There was after Favre. There was after Bart Starr.
“I’m just super excited right now,” Love said. “I didn’t know what to expect coming into this.”
