The Green Bay Packers have put quarterback Jordan Love in an impossible position.
The team used a first-round pick on him in 2020, only for Aaron Rodgers to go out and win the MVP award while leading his squad to the NFC Championship Game.
Using that pick on literally any other position would have done much more to help the team, but this is the Packers we are talking about.
They have done this before with Rodgers being in Love’s spot.
Rodgers and the Packers are dealing with a ton of drama, but the star quarterback is at least back for the 2021 season.
What he does in 2022 remains up in the air.
That still means Love is set to remain on the sidelines all season, barring an injury to Rodgers.
But he is still a former first-round pick and that means him not getting a start yet is notable.
In fact, such a thing rarely happens.
The longest any first-round rookie has waited to start since 2006
Brady Quinn: Week 10 of his second season.
Jordan Love likely to break that this year and be the longest to wait since …. Aaron Rodgers, who didn't start until his 4th season
— Kevin Cole (@KevinColePFF) July 31, 2021
The Rodgers and Love connection even continues in a historical context.
When Will He Make His First Start?
If Rodgers stays healthy, Love will not make a start in 2021.
The only way he would is if the final game of the year ended up being meaningless, but that would still take him past that Week 10 mark.
So if all goes according to plan, the Packers will have a new reputation as not only surprisingly drafting replacements at quarterback, but making them wait a long time to play.
It worked out with Rodgers and certainly could with Love as well.
There is just no way of knowing and no sense of why the franchise saw Love as this can’t-miss prospect.
Of course, the front office in Green Bay is sitting back hoping Love proves them to be the smartest guys in the NFL.
But it will be hard to live up to a legacy of Brett Favre and Rodgers.
The Packers have been lucky to acquire two legends of the game, yet such a great run will come to an end at some point.
Staying Focused
All Love can do is stay ready.
Rodgers said Jordan Love may not ask a lot of questions, but he said he knows he's watching everything. He said can tell Love has been honing his skills during the off-season.
— Tom Silverstein (@TomSilverstein) August 4, 2021
The team, not Rodgers, has put him in this position and all he can do is simply focus on his game.
At some point in time he will be looked at as the new face of the franchise.
From there, his play will dictate if he ends up having a long and successful career like Rodgers, or a short one like what we saw with former first-round pick Josh Rosen in recent years.
The weird thing with Love is that there is no situation where he pushes Rodgers out of the job due to poor play.
The Packers drafted a replacement when Rodgers was still playing at an MVP level.
Thus, the drama ensued and Love is stuck in an awkward spot, waiting on the sidelines.
NEXT: Packers Need More Than Randall Cobb To Salvage 2021