The Packers believe the benefits outweigh the risks when it comes to playing Jordan Love in the preseason, so one of the NFL’s newly highest-paid players will see some action in Saturday’s preseason opener at the Cleveland Browns.
Love signed a four-year, $220 million contract extension less than two weeks ago that tied him atop the quarterback pay scale at $55 million per season. He missed the first four practices of training camp while the final details of the contract were negotiated.
LaFleur played Love in all three preseason games last summer in large part because it was Love’s first year as the starting quarterback. Previously, Aaron Rodgers had not played in any preseason games during LaFleur’s tenure as coach, which began in 2019.
“I think just going through kind of reevaluating the last couple years from when we’ve had guys not play and last year having them, all the guys play, I thought it was beneficial for us early on, especially Week 1, just to kind of knock some of the rust off,” LaFleur said Tuesday.
“I think there was a lot of value of going through getting your mind right to get ready to play a football game. Obviously we’re going to be smart with those guys. The last thing we want to do is put guys at risk. I mean, there’s an inherent risk, right, every time you go out on the field, but we’ll be smart with him. But at the same time I do think just the preparation of getting ready for a game is invaluable and why not use those opportunities?”
LaFleur is committed to playing Love in the preseason opener but anything beyond that is to be determined. Love said he’s on board with whatever LaFleur decides but he said he wouldn’t mind if he and the No. 1 offense played so well on Saturday that they didn’t have to play in the final two preseason games.
“Matt came with kinda what the plan is for the preseason; I agree with how he kind of laid it out,” Love said after Tuesday’s practice. “So, I think we’ll just go out there, get your feet back wet and just get the feel of live game back.”
LaFleur said most of the healthy starters on both sides of the ball will play against the Browns, but he said it’s still up in the air whether that includes running back Josh Jacobs, who has been limited by a groin injury.
However, Love won’t have his entire expected starting offensive line in front of him. Right tackle Zach Tom, who returned to practice on a full-time basis Tuesday, will not play, according to LaFleur. Tom had offseason surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle.
This also gives LaFleur the opportunity to see his defensive starters live for the first time under new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who has installed a 4-3 scheme after the Packers played primarily a 3-4 since 2009.
The Packers open the regular season in Brazil against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 6.
