Matt LaFleur: Packers QB Jordan Love 'unlikely' to play in preseason game

Matt LaFleur stated today that quarterback Jordan Love is ‘unlikely’ to play in the Green Bay Packers’ second preseason game against the New York Jets, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN.

Matt LaFleur said it’s “probably unlikely” that Jordan Love (shoulder) will play on Saturday against the Jets, meaning Kurt Benkert will start. Jake Dolegala, re-signed yesterday, would be the only other QB available.

— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) August 19, 2021

The second-year quarterback was ‘dinged’ following last week’s preseason game against the Houston Texans. However, it was reported that Love was feeling ‘significantly better’ earlier this week.

In his first action in the NFL, the former first-round selection completed 12-of-17 passes for 122 yards, adding on a touchdown pass as well. While he unfortunately left with said injury, it was an encouraging debut for the former Utah State quarterback.

Since then, Love went for an MRI on his shoulder as a precautionary measure. Luckily, it came back clean. Still, it’s evident the Packers don’t want to risk anything with Love, as he’ll stay sidelined against the Jets.

It’s unfortunate that Love won’t get vital playing time this weekend, as the Packers are trying to bring the quarterback along as Aaron Rodgers’ eventual successor. Barring injury, Love won’t receive playing time during the regular season, so this is the best in-game experience he can get. 

Famously, Rodgers has been outspoken about Green Bay’s decision to draft Love. The former Super Bowl MVP doesn’t have a problem with the second-year quarterback personally. However, the selection ripped open an existing rift between Rodgers and the front office.

Aaron Rodgers on Jordan Love

While Love may be Rodgers’ eventual replacement, the latter has been complementary to his successor throughout training camp. 

“He may not ask a ton of questions, but I know he’s watching,” Rodgers said earlier this summer. “We put on a clip from last year, going through some install that we’re putting in in the next couple of days. Watching him from last year to this year, you can just see that he’s been honing the craft. Working on his timing, and his tempo, and his drops and his balance.”

While rumors persisted that Rodgers held disdain for Love, he squashed them quickly. He revealed he maintained a good relationship with Love throughout his disagreements with the front office this offseason.

“And then I just reached out; I reached out a number of times [to] check on him [and] see how he’s doing,” Rodgers said, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “I didn’t hold things from him. I let him know where I was at mentally and what I was thinking about. And hopefully he appreciated that.”

Rodgers seems to be taking the opposite approach from his predecessor. Brett Farve famously protested the idea that it was his job to mentor Rodgers when the Packers drafted the young quarterback out of Cal in 2005.

Hopefully Love can get back for the Packers’ final preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. If the injury is as insignificant as the team is making it seem, we could see Matt LaFleur give Jordan Love his most playing time yet against Buffalo.