Pioli: Packers Should Trade Rodgers If They ‘Know’ Love Is Ready

NFL Network discusses whether the Green Bay Packers should trade Aaron Rodgers and if the New York Jets would be a good landing spot.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Feb 16, 2023 9:56 PM EST

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Should the Green Bay Packers trade Aaron Rodgers?

That’s an enormously difficult question.

Rodgers is the four-time NFL MVP. But he is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career.

Rodgers has led the Packers to the playoffs 11 times in his 15 seasons as a starter. But he is 39 and went just 8-9 last year.

Ultimately, in the eyes of former NFL executive Scott Pioli, the answer isn’t about Rodgers. Rather, it’s about backup Jordan Love.

“Not until they know that they have the replacement,” Pioli said in the NFL Network segment posted atop this story. “Not think that they have the replacement but not until they know that they have the replacement.”

Love spent his first three NFL seasons watching and learning behind Rodgers. In 2021, he struggled in road losses against Kansas City, a game that he started when Rodgers was out with COVID, and Detroit, a game in which he replaced Rodgers for the second half but played with a lot of backups.

Optimism is high – among the fans, at least – because of how he performed in relief of an injured Rodgers at Philadelphia in November. However, all of that optimism is built on nine passing attempts.

“We really like the development of where Jordan is. I think he’s ready to play. I think that’s the next step in his development,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said at the end of the season.

“It’s like any quarterback in the National Football League when they haven’t done it. You go into that and there’s some unknowns. They’ve got to handle a lot of different things, see a lot of different things before they can get to a point where they can win games in this league.”