Jordan Love is aiming to master a skill he learned from Aaron Rodgers
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Sitting on the bench for three years likely wasn't Jordan Love's dream on draft day, but it became a reality once the Green Bay Packers traded up to select him.
It was the best thing for him. Love wasn't ready to start in his rookie year, and his career likely would've gotten off to a rockier start had he been forced into action for a quarterback-needy team in 2020.
With three years of development behind him, Love hit MVP heights in the second half of his first season as Green Bay's starter.
Sitting on the bench took the pressure off and gave Love valuable time to develop his game and prepare for the NFL stage. He got to learn from a future Hall of Famer and one of the most gifted passers of all time, Aaron Rodgers.
Last season, it was clear that Love had taken so much from Rodgers, from his off-platform throws to passing at different arm angles. Even his hard count resembled the four-time MVP at times.
As Love prepares for year two as the starter, he is adding another string to his bow directly out of Rodgers' playbook.
Packers QB Jordan Love has focused on improving ability to throw on the run
Rodgers could do it all, but one of his greatest strengths was to extend plays and make pin-point passes on the run. Love did plenty of this in 2023 but aims to take this part of his game to another level this season.
"One thing I've been working on a lot this offseason is throwing on the run," said Love in a Bleacher Report Q&A. "I think that's a big part of my game and being able to extend plays when plays go off-schedule, whether you're going left, going right, being able to get your shoulders down to the target and finish throws. I think that was a huge part of my game last season and something I'm really looking to build on this year."
Love proved his ability to make throws in the pocket. When the offensive line gave him time, he shredded opposing secondaries, especially in the second half of the season.
He also showed the ability to escape pressure by using his legs, avoiding sacks as a worst-case scenario and making a completion on the run as a best-case. If he can take this area of his game to the next level, look out.
Rodgers' ability on the run became so unstoppable that he was almost better when the play broke down. Love still has a way to go to reach those heights, but an ability to extend plays and throw on the run helps separate the good quarterbacks from the great ones.
Patrick Mahomes is almost impossible to sack. Once he senses pressure and leaves the pocket, he is phenomenal at buying time before finding an open receiver.
Love showed the potential to do that and aims to build on this part of his game in 2024.
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