Jordan Love's contract extension is on the way this offseason. He is the Green Bay Packers' future.
The terms of the contract will be fascinating. Love is in a unique position, having sat for three seasons before finally getting an opportunity to start in 2023. He has a year remaining on his deal after signing a short-term contract extension last offseason, but the Packers have seen enough. After reaching an MVP level in the final eight games before leading his team on a playoff run, Love is about to get paid.
Green Bay went 6-2 down the stretch with memorable wins over the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions. Love threw 18 touchdown passes with only one interception during that eight-game stretch. He then hit a near-perfect passer rating in the 48-32 wild-card win over the Dallas Cowboys.
"The nice thing about having a guy in your building four years is you absolutely know who he is," said Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst, according to Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
Love signed a one-year extension on May 2, 2023, and the Packers have to wait a year before being able to offer a new contract.
But it's coming. Gutekunst said there have been "preliminary discussions."
"Certainly, the sooner, the better," said Gutekunst. "But at the same time, we want to make sure we do it the right way. We've started, but it's not something that's going to go quickly. It will take some time."
What will Love's extension look like?
Predicting Jordan Love's contract extension with Packers
Love will almost certainly become one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL, likely in a deal worth around $50 million annually.
There are various projections about Love's upcoming deal, but they all fall around the $40-50 million per year range.
Spotrac projects Love will earn $44.8 million annually on a four-year, $179.4 million deal. Packers cap expert Ken Ingalls believes it will fall in the $48-52 million range. Former sports agent Joel Corry wrote an excellent piece for CBS Sports, projecting that Love's team will target a deal worth more than Aaron Rodgers' final contract in Green Bay.
"It wouldn't be a surprise for Love to target more than the $50,271,667 per year ($150.815 million over three years) Rodgers got in 2022 in his final deal with the Packers," writes Corry.
Kirk Cousins signed a four-year deal worth $180 million with the Atlanta Falcons, averaging $45 million per year. Cousins is 35 and coming off a torn Achilles. Love has shown the potential to be the Packers' franchise quarterback for at least the next decade, which could land him an even bigger deal.
Projection: Four years, $200 million ($50 million per year)