NFL rumors: Niners dealing, Chris Olave arrest, retired Packer defends Love

Kurt Benkert gives a credible, strong defense of Jordan Love amid struggles

Former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Kurt Benkert took to X.com (formerly Twitter) to give a strong defense of Jordan Love, who has caught the brunt of criticism after the last few weeks. After a strong late-game comeback that Love helped lead against the Saints, Love and the Packers have lost three straight.

Benkert first points out that the Packers were just a play or two going another way from being able to win the game.

Then, he pointed to the youthful roster as a very clear reason why Love's struggles make plenty of sense, in addition to the simple fact that Love has had minimal time to generate chemistry in-game with these players:

"Instead, with the youngest roster in the NFL, that doesn’t happen. You have to remember, Jordan has been groomed for 4 years by a guy that did those exact things, the high level parts of the game consistently - with success. But he also had vet guys - his guys - ALL around him that played at an intellectually high level with him."

Even his top receiver, Christian Watson, has been limited to just three games of real action with Love this season.

Benkert also condemned the Packers coaching staff and playbook for not setting Love up in the best way possible:

"Not to mention he’s playing in a scheme with very little answers right now and has his back against a wall most of the game from play 1. They could be making it easier in GB right now for him but haven’t."

In weeks 4, 5, and 6, Love has had a -0.282 expected points added after he put forth a second-best-in-NFL 0.295 in the first three weeks of the season.

There's some statistical evidence that receivers aren't running the best routes. Despite earning a fourth-best average cushion (distance between defender and player at line of scrimmage) in the NFL, Green Bay receivers are 15th in separation (distance between receiver and defender at time of ball's arrival). Some of that is on Love's timing, too -- and the stats can be muddied by opponent coverage scheme -- but it's a two-player stat that receivers have some share in, too.

The progression for a young quarterback is seldom linear. Love flashed potential in his first few weeks as the clear arbiter of the Packers' offense, but has room to grow. That should be expected.

Growing pains.