Will The Packers Shut Aaron Rodgers Down?

Last week I wrote about whether or not Love would see any more playing time for the Green Bay Packers. While explaining the situations where that was likely to happen, I mentioned that it could obviously happen if Aaron Rodgers sustained any further injuries. Sorry for the jinx.

All jokes aside, Aaron Rodgers is dealing with a rib injury alongside the broken thumb he sustained in a week 5 loss to the Giants, and it seems like it may be in his best interest if the team shuts him down for the remainder of the season. Building chemistry with the first year wide receivers may help Rodgers to lay the groundwork stellar year in 2023, but if he’s hurt badly enough it’s probably best not to leave anything up to chance with a nearly 39-year-old QB.

Almost everyone, besides Bears fans, wants to see Rodgers suit up in Chicago and continue his yearly dominance over the Bears, but it may be in the best interest of the team to see what first round QB Jordan Love can do for these next five weeks.

Sure, the Packers aren’t mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, but the math doesn’t look great either. As it stands the Packers are 4-8 and they are currently in line to receive the 8th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They’re certainly closer to finishing the regular season with a top 10 pick than they are to making playoffs. With a banged up defense and the QB not being much less banged up, it may be best to keep Rodgers healthy and let Love take the reins.

“As long as we’re mathematically alive, I’d like to be out there”

We also have to keep in mind that Aaron Rodgers doesn’t care about tanking for a pick. He likely doesn’t care about getting reps to Jordan Love either, but of course he doesn’t. He shouldn’t want those things, he’s a competitor and he wants to be out there to help his team win, for better or worse, as he has done for the past 17 years. It’s an understandable position for the QB to take, but it may not be the best move for the team.

The reality is that Aaron Rodgers has more power over this kind of decision than most NFL players would, and if he wants to play he probably will.The likelihood of seeing Rodgers suit up this weekend against the Bears is probably high, but if the Packers suffer one more defeat there is no doubt that they should shut him down for the remainder of the season.

Jordan Love deserves a chance to prove himself as a starter just as any first round player should. Whether he’s proving himself for the future of the Packers, or proving himself to a prospective trade partner, it doesn’t really matter.

Love replaced Rodgers in the fourth quarter of the Eagles game and completed 6-of-9 passes for 113 yards and a 63-yard touchdown to Christian Watson. Love led two drives, and both resulted in points for the Packers. It becomes more clear every week that Jordan Love should find himself taking over at QB for the Packers some time this season.

Zack is a college student and cheesehead from California. When he’s not in class or writing, you can find him talking about the Packers on Twitter at @Zack_Upchurch.

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