Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love to miss training camp due to contract dispute | KMMO

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love will not attend training camp until he reaches a contract extension with the team. Players were required to report to training camp on Sunday at Nitschke Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Love’s “hold-in” strategy will be used by players who show up for practice but do not attend due to contract disputes — and will not result in fines. Players who hold back — or do not show up to camp due to such disputes — will be fined for their absence from mandatory workouts.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst told reporters on Monday just before the team’s first practice of training camp that Love’s representatives informed him of their plans Saturday night before a deal was finalized. Love reported to training camp on time and attended meetings and other training camp activities outside of practice. Before that, Love participated in the team’s entire offseason program and mandatory minicamp in June to meet eligibility for a $500,000 workout bonus. (per ESPN.)

Gutekunst told reporters during a press conference: “Saturday night, they (Love’s rep) told us he wouldn’t practice until we did something. That’s what we’re all working on. We understand his situation. We want him out there. It’s important for him to be out there.” Gutekunst added that he believes the Packers and Love are close to another agreement: “We’re working really hard to achieve that. I think that’s really important for us. At the same time, I’m confident that we both want the same thing. We want to have Jordan here for a long time, we want to give him that stability and also give our group some stability.”

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said second-year pro Sean Clifford will take the first snaps with the starters, but reps will be split 50-50 between Clifford and rookie Michael Pratt. LaFleur said former NFL quarterback Sean Mannion, who was hired as an assistant coach this offseason, will help with throwing drills. When asked how long they can keep this up without adding a third quarterback, LaFleur said: “That’s a great question. Of course, we hope to get something done here in the near future… sooner rather than later. But this is something we just have to adapt on the fly.” LaFleur added that he is not worried about Love and the offense losing the momentum they built last season and in the offseason program, sharing:“I know how he prepares, so I’m not too worried about it.”

Love, 25, was selected No. 26 in the 2020 NFL Draft but was inactive during the 2020 season and spent the next two seasons as a backup to former Packers starter Aaron Rodgers. In his first season as a full-time starter in 2023-24, Love started all 17 games and completed 64.2% of his throws for 4,159 yards with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Packers signed Love to a one-year, $22.5 million extension for 2024 last offseason.

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