New Quarterback, New Preseason Plan for Packers

Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur promises a “different approach” at quarterback with Jordan Love set to replace Aaron Rodgers.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Mar 29, 2023 12:35 PM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Last preseason, Jordan Love threw 74 passes in the Green Bay Packers’ three preseason games.

From 2015 through 2022, Aaron Rodgers threw 50.

With Rodgers intending to play for the New York Jets and the Packers more than willing to make it happen, a change in quarterback will mean a change in preseason plans for coach Matt LaFleur.

“We might have to take a little different approach in how we address the preseason and those games,” LaFleur told reporters in Phoenix at the NFL owners meetings on Tuesday.

“Certainly, Jordan doesn’t have a lot of game reps, so you want to give him as much as possible. I would say our whole situation is going to be very fluid in terms of you’ve got to stay one step ahead of the game and what he needs in order for him to develop the way we want him to develop.”

Rodgers’ hatred of the preseason grew with each year in the NFL. Offensively, Green Bay wasn’t going to run its best stuff in meaningless exhibitions. The opposing defense wasn’t going to run its best stuff, either.

Running a vanilla offense against a vanilla defense wasn’t good prep for the regular season, when schemes are a thousand flavors of chocolate. In four years alongside LaFleur, Rodgers never played a preseason snap.

“The practices are so much more important than the preseason,” Rodgers said ahead of the 2019 preseason. “The looks that we see on a day like today are invaluable reps. It’s an attacking defense, it’s different fronts, it’s different pressures. The best reps I’m going to see all summer are in practice. If Matt wants us to play, we’ll play and go out and compete. If not, I feel pretty good about where we’re at.”

It was a different story in 2008, when Rodgers replaced Brett Favre as the starter and threw 54 passes in four games. In fact, Rodgers threw at least 43 passes in each of his first five preseasons.

It’s not just Love. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who figure to be the primary receivers, are entering their second season. In fact, all five receivers on the roster are first- or second-year players. The No. 1 tight end could be a rookie. That group must grow together. Every opportunity, no matter how vanilla or exotic, will have some value.

Of course, there’s some risk. And Love and LaFleur know all about it. In the 2021 preseason opener vs. Houston, Love suffered an injured throwing shoulder. He missed the joint practices and preseason game against the Jets before returning for the finale vs. Buffalo.

“I think it’s kind of a no-win situation to the outside of the building,” Rodgers said last summer. “If somebody gets hurt [it’s], ‘I can’t believe they played our guys.’ But if we go out and have a stinker [it’s], ‘I can’t believe they didn’t play them.’ You’ve just got to do what’s best for the squad.”

What’s best for the 2023 squad will be doing everything humanly possible to get Love ready for Week 1 and the 17-game grind that’s ahead. As part of the process, LaFleur said the Packers will host another team for joint practices. Previously, they hosted the Saints last year, the Jets in 2021 and the Texans in 2019.

“You’ve got to throw as much at him as humanly possible,” LaFleur said. “We’re definitely scheduled to practice against somebody in the preseason. I’m not going to mess up and tell you who it is yet, but provided the NFL affords us that opportunity, that will be a great learning experience for me.”