Packers acquired Utah State product with 26th overall pick of 2020 draft
Friday 15 May 2020 22:52, UK
Aaron Rodgers has admitted he was surprised the Green Bay Packers selected fellow quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of last month's NFL draft.
Speaking publicly about the situation for the first time, Rodgers was diplomatic with his responses when addressing the Packers' decision to trade up to acquire the Utah State product with the 26th overall pick of the 2020 draft.
"I think the initial reaction [to the Packers selecting Love] was surprise," Rodgers said.
"Not gonna say that I was thrilled by the pick, but I understand. The organisation is not only thinking about the present but the future, and I respect that. I understand their focus and their mindset."
Rodgers, who is entering his 16th season with the Packers, said he hopes to develop a strong bond with Love. He even went so far as to cite his relationships with former backup quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Brett Hundley.
"I'm excited to work with him," Rodgers said. "He seems like a really good kid with a really good head on his shoulders."
While the selection of Love calls Rodgers' future into question, the two-time NFL MVP said he would like to finish his career with the Packers.
Rodgers is heading into the first season of a four-year, $134m (£110m) extension he signed in August 2018. He has cap hits of $21.6m, $36.4m, $39.9m and $28.4m over the next four seasons.
"[The selection of Love] reinforces the adage that you can only control what you can control," Rodgers said.
"Any great athlete, there's things that are out of my control. That's very important to me, but that's truly out of my control. What I can control is my play and make that decision, at any point, a hard one. ... If there feels like a time where I feel like I can play at a high level, and my body feels great, there's been other great players that have gone on to play elsewhere."
The Packers sent the Miami Dolphins a fourth-round pick (136th overall) on April 23 in order to flip from the 30th to 26th pick and take Love.
Love will sit and learn behind Rodgers, who is one year older (36) than Brett Favre when Rodgers was drafted 24th overall in 2005. Favre was entering his 15th season in 2005.
Love completed 61.9 per cent of his passes for 3,402 yards, 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions last season, with the latter figure the most in his college division. That was a major step back from 2018, when he completed 64 per cent of his passes for 3,567 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions.
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