JASON WILDE
For the Tribune
GREEN BAY -- Perhaps someday, Jordan Love will reach the point in his NFL career where the risk of playing him in the preseason far, far outweighs any potential reward.
But the Green Bay Packers quarterback hasn't reached that point just yet -- even with his ink-barely-dry $220 million contract -- as far as head coach Matt LaFleur is concerned.
And Love is perfectly fine with that, he said after practice Tuesday.
"Just getting back on the field, getting those live reps again and just getting back that feel of being in a game," Love replied when asked what good will come from him suiting up and playing Saturday's preseason opener on the road against the Cleveland Browns. "Anytime you get to be on the field, I think it's a good opportunity to work on things, get better."
Later, Love added, "(We'll) see how long we're out there."
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Indeed, LaFleur didn't say just how much Love, entering his second season as the Packers' starter, will play against the Browns. Maybe it'll be a series. Maybe two.
LaFleur also hinted that Love could play against the Browns and then not play in one or both of the Packers' other exhibition games -- at Denver on Aug. 18 and at home against the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 24.
"I think we'll just take it a day at a time, one game at a time and decide what he needs," LaFleur said. "We have a plan in place right now, which is subject to change."
Love won't be the only starter seeing action. LaFleur said earlier in camp that he and his staff had discussed the importance of everyone on the roster playing at least some in the preseason.
"Some guys could be a little more limited than others, and that's just a conversation that we have," LaFleur said. "Certainly if we've got guys that would normally play in a game that might be fighting through something (injury-wise), we'll be a little more cautious with those guys.
"Ideally, we'll have everybody getting padded up (and in uniform). How much they play is the real question."
LaFleur said Tuesday that his decision to play his starters at least a handful of snaps is based on how the team started last season -- particularly on offense. The Packers routed the Chicago Bears, 38-20, in the opener at Soldier Field.
Love played 12 snaps in the exhibition opener at Cincinnati last summer, then played 18 snaps against New England and 28 snaps in the preseason finale against Seattle.
His predecessor, Aaron Rodgers, didn't play a single preseason snap during his four preseasons with LaFleur as his head coach, sitting out the exhibition games in 2019, 2021 and 2022. (The 2020 preseason was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.)
LaFleur contemplated playing Rodgers in the 2022 preseason finale but ultimately sat him and 24 other players out -- and then watched the Packers play poorly in a 23-7 loss at Minnesota in the regular-season opener.
The Packers also laid an egg in the 2021 opener, a 38-3 blowout loss at New Orleans.
"Just going through (and) re-evaluating the last couple years from when we've had guys not play, and last year having all the guys play, I thought it was beneficial for us early on, especially Week 1, just to kind of knock some of the rust off," LaFleur explained. "I think there was a lot of value of going through getting your mind right to get ready to play a football game.
"Obviously, we're going to be smart with those guys. The last thing we want to do is put guys at risk. I mean, there's an inherent risk every time you go out on the field, But we'll be smart with (Love). But at the same time, I do think just the preparation of getting ready for a game is invaluable. Why not use those opportunities?"
Love didn't sound like he was pushing to play in preseason but said that he did understand LaFleur's thought process. When asked if he might not have to play in the final two preseason games if he and the offense played well against Cleveland, Love replied, "Hopefully, yeah. That's the goal. That's the goal.
"Matt came (to the players) with what the plan is for the preseason. I agree with how he laid it out, so I think we'll just go out there, just get the feel of a live game back."
Third-year wide receiver Romeo Doubs said it is "critical" that the receivers get some preseason work with Love, and insisted most players do want to see action.
"We all want to play, man. That's just the name of the game," Doubs said. "We've been playing this game our whole lives, so we'd be wrong if we said we didn't want to play. It's important to get the game feeling back because the regular season's right around the corner."
UP NEXT NFL Preseason
Green Bay Packers at Cleveland Browns
WHEN: Saturday, 3:25 p.m.
WHERE: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland
TV: WXOW/NFL+
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