LaFleur acknowledged that an early setup of the job in the red zone often has an element of unpredictability, as neither side of the ball planned a game for the other, and both sides traded to get the most out of the game. each other.
“You pitch your concepts and try to figure out how can guys handle the bad looks and can they execute the really good looks,” LaFleur said. “We’re just setting up our games and whatever the defense presents, he has to react.”
This is Love’s third straight year as a first-unit quarterback during OTAs, as Aaron Rodgers skipped those sessions in 2021 and 22. So that could have factored into LaFleur’s thinking behind the structure, rather than just repeating how the last two springs went.
For Love, the biggest difference is knowing that he’s the guy not only now, but also during training camp. He described it as “not looking over your shoulder anymore”, and his behavior matches that.
“Jordan, he’s just calm. He’s a calm, cool guy,” starting safety Darnell Savage said. “We kinda laugh at him, he’s kicking our ass. It’s just good to see him with that confidence. I know he’s impatient and excited, just like all of us.”
Patience is always in order, however, with all the young receivers and tight ends, veteran players and coaches need to get up to speed. Several players and LaFleur referenced the energy brought to practices.
But the real test will come over the next few weeks as they try to avoid repeating mistakes and find out how much they are able to hold back as playbook facilities pile on top of each other.
In that vein, Love wants communication to stay ongoing and be an “open book” for younger players who have questions.
“It’s just about trying to get them going as fast as they can, getting them on the book, understanding the offense, understanding where they need to be, timing the routes and just understanding how we want every route run,” Love said. .
“Obviously a new attack for them. As a rookie, your head is spinning a bit. I think the sooner we can get them going – I know it won’t be easy for them, it will take time – but more than they get, the better.”