NFL Rumors: How Jordan Love swayed Josh Jacobs, other free agents to Packers

The state of Wisconsin isn’t necessarily a marquee free agent destination, so there must be other factors motivating high-profile players like running back Josh Jacobs and safety Xavier McKinney to sign with the Green Bay Packers this offseason.

Could the rich history of the franchise be luring players to Green Bay? Or the loyal fan base? While these can certainly be considered positive and potentially captivating reasons to sign with the Packers, Jacobs and McKinney made their free agency decisions with one thing in mind: their confidence in Packers quarterback Jordan Love.

NFL Rumors: Josh Jacobs, Xavier McKinney joined Packers to play with Jordan Love 

McKinney signed a four-year, $67 million contract with the Packers this offseason, and his belief that Love is an “elite quarterback” sold him on doing so. Facing the latter last season as a member of the New York Giants made the former realize that Green Bay has a talented signal-caller under center who can elevate the franchise.

Jacobs also spoke glowingly of the “young quarterback,” citing how impressed he was with Love when the two met in Week 5 of the 2023 season when the former was playing for the Las Vegas Raiders.

“I was telling people when we were scouting, when we were playing them last year, I seen him make some throws a lot of people can’t do,” said Jacobs.

The Packers selected Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft before he sat behind four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers in his first two seasons as a pro, getting his chance to in 2023, where he shined in his inaugural campaign as Green Bay’s starting quarterback.

Love completed 64.2 percent of his pass attempts for 4,159, 32 touchdowns (trailing only Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys), and 11 interceptions, adding 50 carries for 247 yards and four scores through the ground.

Green Bay finished the regular season with a 9-8 record, reaching the playoffs and becoming the first No. 7 seed in league history to defeat a No. 2 seed in Love’s first season as a full-time starter. His performance last year earned him not only the respect of his peers but also motivated players to join the Packers and team up with him.