Packers: Jordan Love gets huge opportunity in preseason opener

Green Bay Packers second-year quarterback Jordan Love has a huge opportunity in front of him in the next few weeks, starting in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Houston Texans.

Love didn’t get the benefit of playing in any preseason games in his rookie season due to the pandemic, but he will play a lot of snaps in the three exhibition games this summer.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that Love is in line for a significant role in the team’s first preseason game this weekend.

“Jordan’s going to take the majority of the game, and then Kurt [Benkert] will go in there,” LaFleur said.

LaFleur also noted that we’re unlikely to see much of Aaron Rodgers during the preseason, a sign Love could be the starter in all three games.

While unsurprising, this is clearly big news for Love and a huge opportunity for the second-year QB as he continues his development.

Love has been limited to developing his game on the practice field since he was drafted by the Packers last year. He was inactive in all of the team’s 2020 season games as the third-string quarterback, and there was no preseason or Family Night.

Love got the opportunity to play in front of a packed Lambeau Field during Family Night last week, and he now gets some valuable real game snaps against the Texans this week.

It’s an opportunity to play another NFL opponent and get some much-needed experience. While preseason doesn’t come with the same pressures of the regular season, and many of the Texans’ starters may not feature in the game for long, it’s still a valuable learning experience for the Packers’ young quarterback.

He will make some mistakes along the way, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s in these moments Love can learn and develop, before he ever needs to take a regular-season snap.