Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said the quiet part out loud with quarterback Jordan Love. After a hot start to the season which began with a 7;1 touchdown to interception ratio, Love has come falling back down to earth.
The Packers season has come to a critical point, and Green Bay needs Love to play up to par if they are to make a playoff run in the crowded NFC North, led by the Detroit Lions. General manager Brian Gutekunst spoke to Love's struggles on Wednesday.
"I think he's done a lot of really good things," Gutekunst said. "Really like the way he's responded to the adversity, how he's led the team. Again, we've got to be better as a unit, and I expect that to happen over the next 10 games. And I think that we're going through some things that we knew we would go through. We haven't had the results that we want, but I do like the way guys are responding to things."
Brian Gutekunst won't commit to Jordan Love as Packers QB
Gutekunst also would not commit to Love as the future quarterback, making it clear the organization still needs time to evaluate whether that is the case. Love still has a year left on his contract so the Packers don't have to make a decision right now, but Gutekunst would rather it not take that long to find out if Love is the answer.
"I hope not," Gutekunst said. "I think we've got 10 games left. These are going to be very important 10 games."
It was Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur's decision to draft Love in the first round out of Utah State in the first place despite some prognosticators questioning his starting potential at the next level. Love's lack of experience has mirrored other QB prospects of late, including Trey Lance. He also didn't face much elite competition in college.
Instead, Green Bay went with Love as their QB of the future. Aaron Rodgers was eventually pushed out the door after two MVP awards in three seasons. At the end of the day, Love's play should make Gutekunst sweat.
