Can the Packers pull off a Jimmy Garoppolo-style trade with Jordan Love?

The Green Bay Packers’ selection of Jordan Love can go many ways and one of them could be a future trade similar to one the New England Patriots pulled off for Jimmy Garoppolo.

To this day, NFL fans are still dumbfounded by the Green Bay Packers decision to select Utah State signal-caller Jordan Love. The confusion had nothing to do with Love’s skills because he’s an extremely talented quarterback. Rather, it was general manager Brian Gutekunst pulling off the move despite the fact that Aaron Rodgers‘ massive four-year contract extension kicks in this season!

Many expect that, eventually, either Rodgers will demand a trade out of Green Bay by next year the earliest or the Packers will move on from him. But we’re forgetting about another possible option. What if Green Bay decides to trade Love to another squad just like the New England Patriots did with one Jimmy Garoppolo?

Is it possible? Of course, you can never rule anything out in the NFL. The Odell Beckham Jr. trade last year was proof of that. Yet, the only way that can happen is if Love plays in some games down the road.

Other NFL teams could fall in “Love” for Jordan

In 2014, the Patriots were two years without a Super Bowl berth. With Tom Brady in his mid-30’s the organization decided it wouldn’t be a bad thing to have some sort of succession plan in place. So, head coach Bill Belichick selected Garoppolo in the second round of that year’s NFL Draft.

After two full seasons on the bench, Garoppolo would finally get his chance to play in NFL games in the 2016 season, after Brady had to sit out four games for his Deflategate punishment. Garoppolo led the Patriots to wins in the team’s first two contests of the season, before having to bow out with a shoulder injury. In that limited action, Garoppolo completed 42-of-59 pass attempts for 496 yards and zero interceptions. That caught the attention of many teams, who at the time were struggling to find a competent passer.

Brady would return and bring the Patriots to Super Bowl 51 that year, where New England famously overcame a 28-3 deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime. That offseason, there was buzz that the team was receiving a bevy of offers from teams for Garoppolo’s services, but the team stood pat. The Patriots would bite at the 2017 trade deadline, and shipped Garoppolo off to San Francisco for their 2018 second-round pick.

The only way that the Packers can get a return similar to what the Patriots received for Garoppolo is if Love starts in the coming years. Whether that’s if Rodgers goes down with an injury, or if he starts the regular-season finale after the team long-clinched their playoff berth. Teams are not going to give up their draft capital on a quarterback that’s never started under center in the NFL. It’s simply too risky.

Love has the potential to succeed in the pros, but he still needs some refinement in his game. Not to mention, we have to see what he does against NFL defenses, considering he competed in the Mountain West Conference in college. If Love impresses like “Jimmy G” did during his time in New England, we can’t rule out the possibility of a quarterback-needy team surrendering their first-round draft pick.

Long story short, is it possible? Yes. Will it happen? That’s to be determined.