Packers hint at how offense will change with Jordan Love at QB

The Packers need to adapt their offense for the post-Aaron Rodgers era. That process will take more time, but the coaches already know some of the ways the unit will change in 2023.

Even in a best-case scenario, the Green Bay Packers will endure ups and downs during the first year of the Jordan Love era. After 15 seasons with future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers at the controls, the offense will need to change significantly to account for a first-time starter under center.

Undoubtedly, the Packers' coaches have spent more time this offseason figuring out how to make the necessary tweaks to the offense for Love. While some members of the staff have experience with such a major transition -- quarterbacks coach Tom Clements oversaw the move from Brett Favre to Rodgers in 2008 -- this change represents a novel challenge to most of the team.

The Packers haven't figured out all the answers yet. Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich referred to the process of refitting the system for Love as "kind of trial and error." But even at this early stage, the staff has some idea of how things will change in 2023.

More 12 personnel

Entering his fourth season, Love has a fuller understanding of the Packers' playbook than the typical first-time starting quarterback. However, knowing how a concept works on the whiteboard and how the various moving parts of a play can shift on the field requires live repetitions that Love simply doesn't have in great volume at this stage. Finding ways to make life easier for Love ranks atop the team's list of offseason priorities.

And the coaches have a plan. To mitigate some of the expected growing pains, the Packers will utilize more 12 personnel -- one running back with two tight ends -- with Love under center.

"Sometimes when you get into 12 personnel, they put their base defense, whether that's four D-linemen and three linebackers or five across with two linebackers, in the game," Stenavich said. "And you can kind of dumb down the defense, if you will."

To that end, the Packers have committed significant resources. They spent picks in the second and third rounds on tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, respectively. Though rookies at the position can struggle to carve out niches, both should receive ample opportunity for early playing time. And at least during their first on-field work in Green Bay, they looked the part physically.

If Musgrave and Kraft can force defenses to adjust more than their predecessors, the Packers' coaching staff expects more opportunities for Love to thrive.

"You get less looks," Stenavich elaborated. "You can kind of predict what's going on. And then also, when you get all those guys on the field, those linebackers, you can split out the tight ends and get one-on-one matchups."