Dan Orlovsky believes Packers are still a contender following Aaron Rodgers' exit

ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky is quite bullish on the Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers heading into 2023.

Appearing on “The Pat McAfee Show” Friday, Orlovsky expressed optimism for the Packers and new starting quarterback Jordan Love, saying he believes Green Bay is still a “playoff football team.”

"I still think the Green Bay Packers are a playoff football team..

What happens if Jordan Love is really good with that young talent they have on offense"@danorlovsky7 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/qNl0uR23LQ

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 23, 2023

“I still think they’re a playoff football team,” Orlovsky said, via Abhimanyu Chaudhary of Sportskeeda. “I feel like this is a team that’s gone to the NFC title game two out of the last four years. Their defense is littered with talent… What if Jordan Love is good? We don’t really know, but he was a first-round pick three years ago. Like this guy wasn’t a he wasn’t a sixth-round pick that they’re just like tanking with.

“That scheme always gets quarterbacks to play better than their maybe their talent level should kind of afford them too. I think it’s one of the great unknowns, if Love is good, the Packers are absolute players in the NFC.”

Without Rodgers at the helm for the first time since 2008, most oddsmakers project the Packers to miss out on the postseason for the second consecutive season. Per the latest odds from FanDuel, Green Bay’s over/under is set at 7.5. In order to advance to the postseason, the Packers will likely need to out-due their projections by at least 3 wins. For that to come to fruition, they’ll need Love to play at a franchise quarterback-like level.

Can Jordan Love take big leap in 2023 for Packers?

Love, Green Bay’s first-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Utah State, inked a one-year contract extension last month worth up to $22.5 million in 2024. The deal includes $13.5 million in guaranteed money and replaces Love’s existing rookie contract. The fifth-year option would have paid Love a $20 million salary in 2024.

Love has completed 50-of-83 passes for 606 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in limited playing time the last two seasons. Speaking during mandatory minicamp last week, Love said he believes the “sky’s the limit” for the Packers in 2023.

“I think we’ve got a great team,” Love said, via Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal. “I think we have a good offense, a young offense. We have a lot of work to keep putting in, keep building together. And I think we have a really good defense. Once we get everybody back and healthy, we’ll be really good.

“I think we’ve got playmakers on offense. I think all the weapons we have at receiver, tight end and running back, we’ve got guys who can make plays. … Think once everybody gets rolling, gets comfortable with the offense and being where they need to be every play, the sky’s the limit for us.”