LaFleur Trusting the Process With Love

Jordan Love is the new starting quarterback in Green Bay. With Matt LaFleur holding his first press conference at training camp, he's preaching patience.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur during his pre-training camp news conference. (Photo by Bill Huber/Packer Central)

Matt LaFleur took the podium for the first time this training camp on Tuesday and said he felt like it was his first year again. 

With so many new faces in Green Bay, it's easy to see how he'd feel that way on the eve of the first practice of camp.

With all the new faces in place, most of the attention was centered on one man. Jordan Love. 

Love is entering his first season as the team's starting quarterback. LaFleur was asked a variety of questions about other spots, but most of them were about how he'd acclimate to having a new quarterback.

LaFleur said he needed to continue to adjust to his personnel with so many young players around. That includes the young quarterback.

“I think that’s going to be a process,” LaFleur said. “I just don’t think he’s got the number of reps with certain concepts at this point in his career, and I think that takes a long time to do. 

“Certainly, we want him to be excited about every play and, throughout the course of this process, there’s going to be some plays where he may not have the comfort level with yet, or conversely, the guys around him might not have the level of comfort. So, it’s going to be pretty fluid in regards to what we like, what we don’t like.”

In past years, LaFleur would have meetings with Aaron Rodgers to help put together the game plan. There'd be some give and take as to things LaFleur liked as opposed to things Rodgers liked. Add it all together and you'd see what the final product looked like on Sunday.

That might not be the case for Love in his first season as a starter. LaFleur pointed out that everything with Love was going to be fluid. Those discussions regarding the game plan was one example of how things are going to be different in Green Bay.

While Love has been practicing with the team throughout the offseason, he doesn't have enough game reps to have a good vision for what concepts will work versus ones that don't. He'll have input, but it's natural to accept more input from a Hall of Fame quarterback as opposed to a first-year starter. 

The same is true in terms of autonomy at the line of scrimmage. LaFleur said he wants Love to feel free and easy on the field. He doesn't want him to feel "paralyzed" by thinking. 

“It’s going to be fluid and he just needs to get the reps,” LaFleur said. “The last thing I want to do for him is have him paralyzed thinking of too many things at the line of scrimmage. I think that takes time. It takes experience and once he shows that, it kind of happens organically throughout the process.”

Maybe those things will change as Love gets more comfortable during the season, but despite LaFleur saying Love has total command of the offense, things are going to be different this season in Green Bay. 

Other quick notes 

OL competition: LaFleur wouldn't say whether right tackle was the only position open on the offensive line - wants to preach competition daily.

On Gary/Stokes: Wouldn't say for sure that they'll be back in camp, but putting them on the PUP was always the plan. He's hopeful they'll be back during the offseason. 

Whether he'd change preseason approach: That will be fluid. He likes that the team has joint practices against two teams. Wouldn't say for sure if Love would play more than Rodgers did. 

On if he needs to see more blitzing in practice: There's give and take with the coaching staff. LaFleur will talk to Barry about looks he wants to see and vice versa to get them ready for Week 1. 

On Aaron Jones' leadership: Very consistent. Loves the energy he brings.

On tight ends: Wants to see them in pads and how they come off the ball in the run game. It's a difficult position to learn. 

How he knows second-year jumps are coming: If they're playing fast and not hesitating. How they react to adjustments, as if things are second nature to them. 

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Every team has a Big 3 - the coach, the GM and the quarterback. For the #Packers, it's a huge year for all three, writes @JacobWestendorf.https://t.co/ECy54PnjLe

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 25, 2023

Every team has a Big 3 - the coach, the GM and the quarterback. For the #Packers, it's a huge year for all three, writes @JacobWestendorf.https://t.co/ECy54PnjLe

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 25, 2023

Here are some quick-hitting highlights from #Packers coach Matt LaFleur's pre-training camp news conference.

GM Brian Gutekunst is next.https://t.co/NRTlBsHJl5

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 25, 2023