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Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff Writer
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers and Jordan Love may be nearing an agreement on a contract extension, but until it’s done, the starting quarterback won’t participate in practice or any games this preseason.
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Monday shortly before the team’s first practice of training camp that Love’s representatives informed him Saturday night of their plans before a deal gets done.
“We completely understand where he’s coming from,” Gutekunst said.
Love did report for training camp on time and take part in meetings and other training camp activities except for practice. Previously, Love took part in the entire offseason program and the team’s mandatory minicamp in June to fulfill requirements for a $500,000 workout bonus.
When asked whether an extension could get done within a few days, Gutekunst said: “Yeah, I think so, but again, you never know. We’re working really hard to get that done. At the same time, the thing I have confidence in is we both want the same thing.”
The Packers have no immediate plans to add another quarterback. Coach Matt LaFleur said second-year pro Sean Clifford will handle the first snaps with the starters, but the reps will be split 50-50 between Clifford and rookie Michael Pratt. LaFleur said former NFL quarterback Sean Mannion, who was hired as an assistant coach this offseason, will help with throws during drill work.
When asked how long they can sustain that without adding a third quarterback, LaFleur said: “That’s a great question. Obviously we’re hopeful we’ll get something done here in the next … sooner than later. But that’s something that we’re gonna have to just adjust on the fly.”
LaFleur said he was not immediately worried about Love and the offense losing the momentum they had built last season and into the offseason program.
“I know how he prepares,” LaFleur said. “So, I’m not overly concerned about that.”
Without a new deal, Love would have made only $11 million this season on the final year of a mini extension he signed last May. That deal added one year, the 2024 season, to his rookie contract. It was in lieu of the team picking up the fifth-year option on that deal. At the time, Green Bay gave Love a $8,788,655 signing bonus. His base salary for last season was $1.01 million.
Love is now line for one of the richest contracts in the league and appears likely to join the $50 million a year club. The most recent quarterback deal was Trevor Lawrence‘s with the Jacksonville Jaguars in June. It is a five-year, $275 million deal that includes $200 million in guarantees. At $55 million a year, Lawrence and the Cincinnati Bengals‘ Joe Burrow are tied for the highest average pay in the league.
Love threw for 4,159 yards with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season. He was one of just four quarterbacks in 2023 to rank in the top 10 in passing touchdowns (second behind the Dallas Cowboys‘ Dak Prescott), passing yards (seventh) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (seventh).
He started all 17 games and after a 2-5 start, the Packers finished 9-8 to make the playoffs. Love led them to a wild-card win over the Dallas Cowboys in which he threw three touchdowns and no interceptions before the divisional round loss at the San Francisco 49ers, which ended with a Love interception on the final drive.