Packers still don’t have to choose between Jordan Love or Aaron Rodgers in 2023

With how this season has played out so far, it feels like the Green Bay Packers are finally at the crossroads when it comes to choosing between Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love. However, that still isn’t the case. From a contract standpoint, the Packers can again have both players back in 2023.

Now, in the upcoming offseason, the Packers do have a big decision to make when it comes to Love’s fifth-year option, which could be in the $20 million range. But if picked up, that won’t impact Green Bay’s salary cap until the 2024 season. Next year, Love is still on his rookie deal and comes with a relatively small cap hit of only $3.9 million, according to Over the Cap.

Rodgers’ contract, as we all know, is nearly impossible to get out of in 2023, given that he just signed a massive extension. Releasing him is not an option because of the dead cap hit Green Bay would incur.

As Rob Demovsky wrote, retirement would cost Rodgers $58.3 million plus any future contract dollars. Trading Rodgers, meanwhile, would result in a dead cap hit of around $40 million. If traded before June 1st of 2023, the Packers would take on all $40 million in 2023. If traded after, it would be split between 2023 and 2024.

So even with how poorly this season as gone for the Packers and the uncertainty that they may be experiencing, Rodgers returning for 2023 is still the most likely option. And with Love’s $3.9 million cap hit next season, he will likely be in Green Bay as well–unless the team chooses not to pick up his fifth-year option and looks to trade him.

With all of that said, the fact that both players can be in Green Bay in 2023 doesn’t take away from the significance of whether or not to pick up Love’s fight year option. Guaranteeing $20 million if the Packers aren’t sure if he can be the guy isn’t a prudent move, which is why seeing Love in action as much as possible this season is important now that Green Bay’s playoff hopes are dashed. After having Love in the building and seeing him in practice for three years, I’m sure Matt LaFleur and Brian Gutekunst have a decent idea of who he can be as a quarterback, but there is still no substitute for live-game reps.

Picking up Love’s fifth-year option also finally draws that line in the sand when it comes to choosing between Rodgers and Love. With Rodgers’ cap hit set to be at $59.3 million in 2024, the Packers simply can’t devote $80 million in cap space to the quarterback position. There’s also quite a bit more flexibility at that time with Rodgers’ deal if he were to retire at that point. If Love’s option is exercised, 2024 is when Green Bay will finally have to choose between the two.

There are still important and difficult decisions to be made when it comes to the quarterback position in Green Bay, but if the Packers want to keep things status quo for at least one more year, they have the ability to do so, and that may be the most likely outcome.