The Green Bay Packers have been preaching patience with Jordan Love this offseason and will continue to do so as the season goes on. After all, it is only his first year as a starter, having sat behind future Hall of Famer and four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers for three seasons. While they feel that he is ready to take over under center, they realize they will need to be patient as he continues to grow.
Green Bay Packers Left Tackle David Bakhtiari Holds Jordan Love to a Higher Standard

Amid unfounded rumors that the New York Jets are trying to trade for Bakhtiari to reunite him with Rodgers (and help bolster their awful offensive line), Rome asked Bakhtiari about his new starting quarterback. In weeks and days past, Bakhtiari was briefly praised Love, calling him a first ballot Hall of Famer one day and “more athletic” than Rodgers whom he referred to as “slow as s–t.”
On Rome’s show, though, Bakhtiari went into great detail about what Love is doing that he is impressed with as well as how tough it is for Love to impress him. After all, Love has been learning for Rodgers for three years:
“Definitely a higher standard. He’s had three years to understand the math of the offense, which is very fortunate for any first-round quarterback to get to watch and see how a first-ballot Hall of Famer and generational talent and a guy who borderline changed the quarterback position and how it’s played. And even the mechanics of even throwing the football. You’re able to see that for three years and then now coming in, so yeah, his baseline for me is way higher.
“I’ve been very pleased with what I’ve seen from him. And I think he’s also understanding that he’s not going to be judged, either, by a first-year quarterback, which is great. I think he’s going to be competitive right out of the gate. I’ve seen his development in practice. I’m really excited to see it translate into the game, and him to get those game time and hours logged in. And really see how he adapts and corrects himself mid-game and game to game.”
Rome asked Bakhtiari what about Jordan Love’s game has impressed him the most. In response, Bakhtiari said:
“There’s a lot of little nuances. A lot of pre-snap reads. There’s also certain checks. There’s abilities to work cadences and snap counts. A lot of things I’ve seen Aaron do at a very high level, and seeing the growth from [Love’s] rookie year to now is exponential. And that’s why I’m excited to go see him execute that in a game. There’s so many little things that the fans don’t get to see or notice that happen. The game within the game, so to speak. That’s what I’m really excited for him, and that’s why I definitely don’t view him a [first-year] quarterback.
“Not to mention, he can throw the ball and do a lot of things that I’ve been impressed with. But you also understand that I was watching Aaron every day for a decade. So [Rodgers] would make one jaw-dropping throw at least every practice. It’s hard to come off of that, but I’m very pleased with what I’ve been able to see with him. And at times, I’m like, ‘OK, that is a quality throw. That is a quality check. That’s a good job, man.’ I’m pumped about what I see.”
Going into the 2023 season, the Packers may be tempering fans’ expectations. Bakhtiari, though, is not, but not because he is angry that Rodgers is gone. Rather, he has seen how much Love has grown from his rookie season until now. He knows what Love is capable of doing.
All Bakhtiari wants is to see Love apply the things he has seen in practice to the game field, and he knows that he will be able to.
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