Packers GM unsure if Jordan Love long-term future of franchise - ESPN

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Seven games into Aaron Rodgers' first season as the Green Bay Packers starting quarterback back in 2008, they gave him a contract extension. At the same point in Jordan Love's first season as QB1, they can't say for sure whether he's the long-term future of the franchise.

Love still has another year left on his deal, so it's not paramount from a contractual situation. But they would rather it not take more than this season to know whether he's the answer.

«I hope not,» Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Wednesday during his annual midseason news conference. «I think we've got 10 games left. These are going to be very important 10 games.»

The Packers started 2-1 under Love, and he had seven touchdowns and just one interception to that point. Since then, the Packers have lost four straight and Love has thrown four touchdowns and seven interceptions.

«I think he's done a lot of really good things,» Gutekunst said. «Really like the way he's responded to the adversity, how he's led the team. Again, we've got to be better as a unit, and I expect that to happen over the next 10 games. And I think that we're going through some things that we knew we would go through. We haven't had the results that we want, but I do like the way guys are responding to things.»

The offense's struggles in the first half have crippled the team. Opponents have outscored Green Bay 73-9 combined in the first halves of the past five games. Its minus-59 first-half point differential is tied for the second worst in the NFL. The Packers are plus-42 in the second half, which is second best in the league.

Gutekunst described Love's play as «a little up and down.»

«Like our entire offense, right?» he said. «I think it's been a