The timeline for Jordan Love’s recovery from a knee sprain is starting to come into focus. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Green Bay Packers are expecting Love to miss “about three weeks” with a lower grade MCL sprain, and there’s a chance he’s able to return earlier.
“My understanding is it is an MCL sprain between Grade 1 and Grade 2, probably knocks him out a few weeks,” Rapoport said Sunday morning on NFL Network. “My understanding is about three weeks is probably the timeline for Jordan Love. Could he beat it? Certainly he could. We will see if he’s able to do that, but either way, Love is not going to play for the next couple of games.”
Love was injured late in the fourth quarter of the Packers’ season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday night. Rapoport reiterated that Love avoided the worst-case scenarios, such as an ACL tear or a high ankle sprain. A low-grade MCL sprain does not require surgery.
The Packers face the Indianapolis Colts in the home opener in Week 2, go on the road to play the Tennessee Titans in Week 3 and welcome the Minnesota Vikings to Lambeau Field in Week 4. It’s possible Love returns as soon as Week 5 on the road against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 6 — a month from Friday’s season opener. The shorter end of the timeline keeps Week 4 vs. the Vikings in play as well.
Rapoport also said no decision had been made on the starting quarterback while Love is out. Malik Willis, a third-round pick of the Titans in 2022, is on the 53-man roster, but Sean Clifford, who backed up Love last season as a rookie, is another option. Clifford has the experience edge in Matt LaFleur’s offense, but a disappointing summer led to the trade for Willis at final cuts and Clifford’s relegation to the practice squad to start the 2024 season.
“It is unclear as of right now whether it will be Malik Willis or Sean Clifford,” Rapoport. “We’ll see who the starter is moving forward.”
Rapoport made no mention of the Packers looking elsewhere for a quarterback option.
With Love’s injury status now more clear, the question in Green Bay becomes: Can Willis or Clifford steal a game or two as Love recovers on the sidelines?