Packers: Aaron Rodgers unlikely to play in the preseason

Don’t expect to see much, if any, of Aaron Rodgers during the Green Bay Packers‘ three preseason games.

Head coach Matt LaFleur said on Tuesday that second-year QB Jordan Love will play the majority of the snaps in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans.

For Rodgers, it’s unlikely he’ll feature at all over the next few weeks.

“I would say most likely not,” LaFleur said, when asked if Rodgers would play in the preseason.

I doubt Rodgers will mind one bit. He said a couple of years ago that reps on the practice field are far more valuable than playing in the preseason. Rodgers wasted no time getting into his MVP season last year despite there being no preseason games.

It’s all about risk-reward in the exhibition games. The Packers found out the hard way in 2015 the risks of preseason when Jordy Nelson tore his ACL and was lost for the year.

The benefit of preseason is giving young players valuable reps. It’a an opportunity for them to show what they can do, helping in positional battles.

Jordan Love will be the backup QB this season so he doesn’t have to worry about not making the 53-man roster, but the preseason will provide an excellent opportunity to get some live reps in a real game against another NFL opponent. In front of a packed Lambeau Field, too.

Rodgers sitting out of the preseason comes as no surprise. He played no part in any of Green Bay’s four preseason games two years ago despite it being the first year in a new offense. So it would make little sense to put him out there for a series or two in any of the preseason games this summer.

The three games wouldn’t do much for Rodgers’ preparations for the season. He’s getting enough reps on the practice field. But it will be far more valuable for players on the roster bubble, or for the likes of Love, who is still developing his game.