Packers need to trade Jordan Love after new Aaron Rodgers deal

It’s time for the Green Bay Packers to trade Jordan Love.

Aaron Rodgers has a new deal, one that all but ensures he will finish his career in Green Bay, while also meaning Love will likely become a free agent before ever getting a chance to become QB1 for the Packers.

Love is a former first-round pick, but the longer it goes on, the less the Packers will likely be able to get back in a trade. Teams could still have interest in trading a Day 2 pick for a talented young quarterback. If the Packers can make a deal, they should get it done.

Love has two years remaining on his rookie deal, three if the Packers exercise his fifth-year option. However, with Rodgers’ new contract signed, the timeline to make the transition at quarterback no longer lines up.

Rodgers will be the Packers’ QB in 2022, and likely in 2023 too. According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Green Bay would take on a dead cap hit of $68 million if they either trade or release Rodgers or if he retires in 2023. In other words, the Packers can’t move on from Rodgers after next season.

So if we assume Rodgers plays two more years in Green Bay, that takes us to the end of Love’s rookie contract. There’s no way the Packers could justify picking up his fifth-year option without seeing him in extended game action.

And signing Love to a big contract would also be a challenge as Rodgers’ cap hits won’t go away. Per Over The Cap, Rodgers could have dead cap hits as high as $68.2 million and $45.47 million in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

The Packers have made a commitment to keep Rodgers until he retires, so it would seem, and that means Love likely won’t get his opportunity in Green Bay.

An argument could be made that while Love is on a cheap deal, why not keep him around as the backup?

Well, there’s yet to be any evidence that Love could keep Green Bay in contention should Rodgers miss time. And, to steal a phrase from Tom Moore, if 12 goes down, we’re screwed. Except screwed isn’t the word he used.

The Packers need Rodgers if they are going to win a Super Bowl.

Could Green Bay get a Day 2 pick for Love? Who knows? But if the answer is yes, they should make that trade.