Is Jordan Love Detroit Lions Quarterback of the Future?

Read more on whether Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Jordan Love should be a trade target of the Detroit Lions.

Sorry, Lions fans. Four-time All-Pro quarterback and 2021 NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers isn't leaving the NFC North. 

He signed a multi-year contract extension Tuesday for reportedly $200 million that will keep him with the Green Bay Packers for the next four seasons. Prior to the new deal, he has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $134 million contract. 

With Rodgers going nowhere, it likely means that Jordan Love's days in Green Bay are numbered.

Love, the first-round pick of the Packers in 2020, has served as Rodgers' backup for the last two campaigns.  

When the California native was drafted out of Utah State, he was viewed as the heir apparent to Rodgers. 

But, now, at this point, he'll likely have to head elsewhere to get the opportunity to start for an NFL franchise. 

It makes the 23-year-old a prime trade candidate this offseason. 

It begs the question: Should the Lions be interested? 

© Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

For starters, Detroit could use an upgrade under center. 

No offense to present Lions starting signal-caller Jared Goff, but he's largely viewed by fans and pundits alike as a placeholder for Detroit at quarterback until the organization finds its next franchise passer. 

And, from all accounts, he's viewed in the same light by the Lions' front-office brass, led by general manager Brad Holmes. 

So, to me, Goff is clearly not the organization's long-term solution at quarterback. 

Holmes & Co. could go out and get their successor to Goff in this April's NFL Draft. Perhaps during the pre-draft process, they fall in love with quarterback Kenny Pickett after his standout season at Pittsburgh, or fall in love with the big arm of North Carolina gun-slinger Sam Howell or the dual-threat ability of Liberty passer Malik Willis.

Such could definitely be the case. However, each of those QB prospects are expected to cost a first-round selection, and I don't see the Lions using either the No. 2 overall pick or the No. 32 overall selection to draft a quarterback. 

So, it makes a trade for a signal-caller like Love an intriguing possibility. 

Love is young -- once again is only 23 -- and certainly could just be entering the prime of his career. He's also learned under one of the greatest passers of all-time in Rodgers, which can't hurt. 

Yet, I'm not buying into the love -- no pun intended -- for Love. 

Sure, he's only played in six career games and has only started in one of them. But, when he's played, he hasn't come close to looking like an NFL-caliber starting QB.

Consider the following: When he started against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9 and suited up in the second half against Detroit in Week 18, he completed just 58.1 percent of his passes, to go along with two touchdowns, three interceptions and a 68.7 passer rating. 

Of the 50 quarterbacks with at least Love’s 62 pass attempts, he ranked 46th in passer rating, 44th in completion percentage and 47th in interception percentage. He also had as many turnovers as Rodgers did (both had four total; Love recorded three interceptions and a fumble), while playing in just 12 percent of the snaps.

Additionally, if it's going to take a second-or-third-rounder to land Love, I wouldn't even consider it. I don't think I would even for a fourth-rounder.

Simply, I don't see Love turning into a high-end franchise passer.

If I'm Detroit, I'm passing on the young signal-caller.