Jordan Love’s Protector Has Strong Words For Packers QB’s Doubters Amid Matt LaFleur’s Benching Decision

“My goal is always trying to do what’s best for the team.” That’s Jordan Love talking—and that’s the version his teammates ride for. He wasn’t a top-10 pick. The Packers took him 26th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. No Pro Bowls. No Super Bowl rings. Just a young quarterback waiting, watching, and learning behind Aaron Rodgers. After three seasons mostly on the bench, when he finally got his shot in 2023, he made it count, throwing for over 4,100 yards and 32 touchdowns, and led Green Bay to a playoff win. He’s not perfect, but he’s earned trust. And that’s exactly why his teammates continue to have his back. 

Romeo Doubs knows a quarterback’s way—and he’s all in on Jordan Love. The second-year wide receiver didn’t hesitate while saying, “I think Jordan is a really good quarterback. When you go from Aaron Rodgers to Jordan… I believe Jordan can do the same exact thing.” That’s not light praise. Rodgers is a legend. But Doubs sees something real in Love, especially under pressure. “Any other guy in that position… will lose his mind,” he added. Love didn’t. And that calm is winning over the locker room.

And the locker room will protect its QB, on and off the field. Left tackle Rasheed Walker shared his thoughts on Good Morning Football, and he didn’t hold back while responding to the rumors. “I feel like you just gotta watch the tape. The guy does some pretty amazing things with the football. I feel like as long as we give him time, we have some great weapons on the perimeter, Jordan Love is very comfortable slinging the rock, doesn’t have any issue with that. The sky’s the limit when it comes to us with Jordan Love in the game.” The belief runs deep—and it’s not just talk.

That defense outside the locker room has scored full points and proved why Walker is the most trusted pillar of the offense. Drafted in 2022, with the mindset, “my main focus going into season is believing in the best of what I do. I can’t wait to compete,” he’s helped anchor a new era. Now, with a four-year, $71.25 million extension, he’s not just protecting Love—he’s helping lead the way.

Ever since Rasheed Walker and Jordan Love formed their on-field partnership, the Packers’ offense has changed. Back in 2022, with Aaron Rodgers at QB, the team went 8–9 and averaged just 22.5 points per game. But in 2023, with Love throwing 4,159 yards and 32 TDs and Walker starting 15 games, Green Bay improved to 9–8, made the playoffs, and scored 22.5 PPG again. Walker allowed only 3 sacks in 2024 over 18 games, helping Love stay upright while the QB ranked 6th in TDs per game. Still, even with stats trending upward, the pressure never stops, and questions about Love’s consistency remain.

Matt LaFleur plays it safe with Jordan Love

Matt LaFleur’s benching decision might raise eyebrows, but it’s less about doubt and more about caution. With Jordan Love dealing with a knee issue from late last season, LaFleur may sit him through the preseason. Instead, Malik Willis, who was a surprise late addition last offseason, could take the reins. It’s not a demotion; it’s about preservation. “I feel pretty confident that we know what we have in Jordan, and we got a lot of confidence in him,” LaFleur said. The goal seems clear: keep Love healthy for when it counts.

Willis, meanwhile, has quietly earned the chance. Last season, just weeks after arriving in Green Bay, he stepped in during Love’s early absence and held his own. He didn’t light it up in Tennessee, but LaFleur managed to bring out his best. In back-to-back preseason starts, Willis went 12-of-14 for 122 yards and a TD against the Colts and followed it up with 202 passing yards and 73 rushing yards against his former team. He wasn’t flashy, but he was efficient. And that was enough to keep the Packers afloat.

Even after Love returned, his knee limited him at times, and Willis seized those moments. He threw a season-long 51-yard dime to set up a game-winner in Week 4 and punched in a touchdown of his own. He also played extended snaps in the season finale. As Sports Illustrated put it, “he showed strong command of the offense and did enough to win both games while Jordan Love recovered from a knee injury.” So if Love does sit this preseason, it’s not a controversy—it’s calculated.

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