For three seasons, Jordan Love only warmed the bench in the Packers’ roster. Shadowed by arguably one of the best QBs of our time in Aaron Rodgers, Love had to wait. A long and grueling wait. But as frustrating as it might have been for anyone else, Love didn’t feel so. “Being on the bench for those three years, seeing a season, seeing how Aaron went about it, that’s what got me to understand,” he told SI’s Albert Breer. In those three years, Love was slowly building a cocoon for himself. Growing. Evolving. So that when the chance comes, he breaks free and thrives.

In 2023, the Packers traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets and needed a new quarterback. Unsurprisingly, they looked to the man who spent the last three years on the bench to take center stage. This was the chance Love was waiting for. And he didn’t hold anything back. That season, Love recorded 4,159 yards, 32 passing touchdowns (2nd in the NFL), 11 interceptions, and a passer rating of 96.1%. In just his first year as a starter, Love didn’t just fill Rodgers’ shoes. He redefined the way the Packers played their offense. The Packers found a gem in Love, but his 2024 supporting cast looked more blooper reel than playoff-ready.

The Packers finished 3rd in the NFC North in 2024. Took a half-step into the play-offs but lost to the Eagles in the Wildcard Round. While Love had a difficult season, the real reason for the Packers’ mediocre campaign was something else. Warren Sharpe covered it well in a post on X, saying, “Love’s receivers had the highest rate of receiver error causing incompletions in the NFL last year.” The top targets, Dontayvion Wicks, Jayden Reed, and Christian Watson, showed flashes. But not enough consistency. Love was often left out to dry on busted routes, bad timing, and way too many drops.

Here’s a breakdown of their 2023 vs. 2024 drop rates:

Former Packer Allen Lazard led the league in drops, but Wicks and Reed were right behind. Wicks had 6 drops in the first half alone. That number shrunk to 2 in the final seven games, as passing-game coordinator Jason Vrable pointed out. The pressure mounted, and Wicks visibly wilted before stabilizing.

“What if I told you that he was either injured in game or on the injury report in eight of the Packers first nine games? And what if I told you that in the other nine games when he was actually healthy last year Jordan Love recorded plus 0.24 EPA per attempt, 51% success and 8.4 yards per attempt? And what if I told you that those numbers rank number three, number three and number four respectively in the NFL last year?” continued Sharpe. Last season was a tough season for Jordan Love, having incurred two injuries in the first 9 games, a sprained MCL in week 1 and a groin injury in week 7. Hopefully, next season will not be as nightmarish for the Packers’ #10, but it may all depend on $77m gamble Matt LaFleur made this offseason.

Jordan Love’s protection undergoes a massive change

Coming into the 2025 season, the Packers have been extremely active in the offseason. They addressed their weakness with their wide receivers by bringing in Mathew Golden, who had the fastest 40-yard dash in the combine. On top of that, they brought the 6-foot-4 Savion Williams, who is a great option with his size and agility. That still wasn’t enough, as the Packers made a huge change in their guard protection by signing Aaron Banks from the 49ers in a whooping $77m contract. This new contract makes Banks one of just six NFL guards who are earning at least $19 million annually.

Banks was brought in so that 2-time pro-bowler Elgton Jenkins could play center full time. However, this change brings skepticism to Lafleur’s offensive lineup. Was this change necessary? After all, Jenkins only allowed 1 sack while earning an 83.1 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2024. He was a monster as a pass protector. With a sure-fire option in Jenkins, why would Lafleur bet on someone else?

“The good news with this deal is that Banks is coming off a career-high 65.4 PFF overall grade in 2024 and has developed throughout his NFL career,” said Pro Football Vantage. “However, a deal that makes him the sixth-highest-paid guard in football is very rich. The Packers are betting on his continued development.” Banks ranked the 33rd-best guard by PFF. Additionally, he has consistently shown signs of development throughout his career in the NFL. The question of whether he is worth $77million dollars or not will only be revealed when the season starts. What do you guys think?  Will Banks be a bust or a breakout next season?