Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love will dominate NFL offseason

The Green Bay Packers won’t be escaping this story anytime soon. And they’re solely to blame. After trading up to select former Utah State quarterback Jordan Love in the first round, the Packers had to know what was coming. For starters, their current star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, wasn’t going to be pleased.

Only a step away from the Super Bowl last season, Rodgers watched as his eventual replacement was plucked by general manager Brian Gutekunst instead of a weapon. This must have been especially tough, considering Green Bay never took a receiver throughout the draft, despite this being the deepest rookie class at the position in some time.

Want $250 to bet on NFL futures?

Additionally, the Packers’ brass also must understand the consternation of the fan base.

The Packers could have went for the ring this offseason. Instead, they landed receiver Devin Funchess in free agency and role players in the draft, along with a backup quarterback for the foreseeable future.

Green Bay has enjoyed the talents of Brett Favre and Rodgers continuously since 1992 and have won only two championships. While many franchises would sell their collective souls to even win one, it remains underwhelming with all factors considered.

Read: 5 NFL Teams That Had the Worst Offseasons

Favre talked on the Rich Eisen Show about the dynamic Green Bay now faces, per NFL.com:

“Nothing against Jordan Love. I mean no disrespect. But you trade up to get a guy who might turn out to be great, and I hope he does, but you trade up to get more of a project. He’s a little bit unproven. A lot of upside, no doubt about it. But he can’t help you get to the Super Bowl immediately.

“And I just think that if you’re playing for now as all the teams in the league will tell you they are — or most will tell you that, some certainly are not — but Green Bay’s one of them that should be playing for now. They don’t draft any weapons, not just in the first round, but any weapons that can help immediately, to my knowledge. And that just sends a disrespect message, I would think, to Aaron Rodgers. He has every right to be disappointed if he is.”

Every team has internal strife and questions to answer, but none more than the Packers heading into the summer. In a year when many — only a few days ago — believed Green Bay would be seen as an NFC favorite, it’s now appropriate to wonder where the Packers belong in the pecking order.