Jordan Love could be more expensive than Packers ever imagined, per one projection

It was a risk the Green Bay Packers were willing to take. After all, they traded up to take the project quarterback out of Utah State in the 2020 NFL Draft when they already had Aaron Rodgers on the roster. That resulted in Rodgers getting mad, and winning back-to-back NFL MVPs. However, it became crystal clear that the Packers liked his successor Jordan Love a ton throughout the process.

Once Rodgers was dealt to the New York Jets before the 2023 NFL Draft, the Packers became Love's team. Since he had ridden pine for his first three seasons in the league as Rodgers' backup, his second contract was treated as such. Rather than exercise the fifth-year option, Green Bay essentially gave him a two-year deal that was loaded with incentives to cover the Packers' tracks. Now, it is time to pay up...

In Joel Corry's breakdown of Love's contract situation for CBS Sports, he revealed a few interesting details that the general public may not have realized. The first was Love has been eligible for a new contract since May 3. While Green Bay usually does right by its players and extends its stars well ahead of time, is Love really about to go from making $12 million annually to probably pushing $50?

I don't know if he'll get Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert or Patrick Mahomes money, but Love will get paid.

Jordan Love will be more expensive than Green Bay Packers ever realized

In the end, I suspect that it will work out for them, but the Packers were never going to be able to cut corners when it came to the Love investment. I mean, they have already put so much into it. They not only traded up to get him, but his draft selection infuriated Rodgers, as well as put a damper on their financial balances. Paying first-round money to a guy for him not to play is hard in a hard salary cap.

In truth, I doubt Love is going to be the highest-paid player in football. My money is on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott to soon be that because he too is playing on an expiring contract. We should look for Love to make somewhere in the Kirk Cousins range of $40 million annually on a multi-year deal with a growing cap. However, that is the last discount he will be taking.

See, if Love plays like he did last year for the next five or so, you are looking at a guy who might be making something closer to $70 million in 2029. Love will be in his early 30s and Green Bay may have already gone to or won another Super Bowl by then. This is why the Packers cannot fiddle-fart around this offseason. The financials are on their side this year to go out and win the whole shebang, baby!

Whether or not he will admit it, this is exactly what general manager Brian Gutekunst signed up for.