Packers GM acknowledges Jordan Love preseason dilemma

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst still haven't determined just how many preseason snaps new starting quarterback Jordan Love will take this month. 

"What Jordan needs affects a lot of the other guys, right? Because if Jordan's in there, there's going to be a bunch of other players in there as well that may not play a ton in the preseason," Gutekunst explained while speaking with media members on Friday, per Mike Spofford of the Packers' website. "I think Matt will work through that and make good decisions." 

Love, a 2020 first-round draft pick, spent the majority of his first three pro seasons as a backup behind future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. Thus far, the 24-year-old has attempted only 83 career regular-season passes, and he completed 60.2% of those throws for 606 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. 

Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich acknowledged as far back as May that the preseason was "going to be very important" as it pertained to getting Love ready to begin a campaign as Green Bay's QB1 for the first time. As Gutekunst noted, though, the Packers also need Love as healthy as possible for the Week 1 game at the division-rival Chicago Bears on Sept. 10. 

"You guys have heard me say he needs to play, a lot of our guys need to play, that unit needs to play together," Gutekunst continued. "That's a tough call protecting the safety of those guys in these games but also giving them the best chance to grow and be ready for the season."

Green Bay's quarterback situation is made more complicated by the fact that unproven commodities Danny Etling and Alex McGough are competing with rookie fifth-round draft pick Sean Clifford for the primary backup gig. 

"The preseason games, they're going to get a lot of work," Gutekunst said about those three signal-callers. "That should probably separate some things ... As of right now, my mindset is, 'Let's see who comes out of that group.'"

Green Bay has joint practices with the Cincinnati Bengals ahead of next Friday's preseason opener in Cincinnati. In a perfect scenario, Love will perform well enough during those sessions that the Packers will feel he doesn't need to potentially risk his health in the exhibition contest at Paycor Stadium.