Packers' GM Hasn't 'Connected With' Aaron Rodgers After Drafting Jordan Love

Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said early Friday morning following the first round of the 2020 NFL draft that he hadn't yet spoken to star quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

According to Olivia Reiner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Gutekunst said: "I haven't connected with Aaron yet."

Green Bay made one of the most surprising selections of the first round when it moved up from No. 30 to No. 26 to select Utah State quarterback Jordan Love despite the presence of a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Rodgers on the roster.

At 36, Rodgers is actually one year older than Brett Favre was when the Packers selected Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft. The decision was a controversial one, but Rodgers sat and learned behind Favre for three years before taking over as the starter and developing into one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.

Rodgers is an eight-time Pro Bowler, two-time NFL MVP and one-time Super Bowl champion, but there have been some signs in recent years that he is on the decline after throwing an NFL-best 40 touchdowns in 2016.

Injuries limited Rodgers to seven games in 2017, and over the past two seasons he is averaging 4,222 yards, 25.5 touchdowns and just three interceptions per year. Those numbers are nothing to sneeze at, but they don't compare to the way Rodgers used to carve up opposing defenses.

During the eight-year stretch from 2009-16, Rodgers threw at least 30 touchdown passes six times. He hasn't reached that number in any of the past three seasons.

Rodgers is still a valuable player, though, as evidenced by his 4,002 yards, 26 touchdowns and only four picks last season. His ball security is second to none with a total of 12 picks over the past three seasons combined as well.

He even led the Packers to the NFC Championship Game last season, but it was apparent at times that he needed some secondary weapons to complement wide receiver Davante Adams and running back Aaron Jones.

Green Bay has never drafted a running back, wide receiver or tight end in the first round of the draft since it selected Rodgers. Had it gone in that direction rather than drafting Love, it could have taken Clemson's Tee Higgins, Colorado's Laviska Shenault, Baylor's Denzel Mims or USC's Michael Pittman Jr. at wide receiver. Notre Dame tight end Cole Kmet also could've been an option.

Perhaps the pass-catcher depth in this year's draft had Gutekunst believing he could wait until the second round to find Rodgers a weapon who can contribute right away.

The Packers set a precedent for this type of move working out well when they took Rodgers in 2005, but Rodgers was considered a potential No. 1 overall pick who fell. That wasn't the case with Love.

Love has great physical tools, but he threw just 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions last season, and there are major question marks regarding whether he can be a quality NFL starter.

The Packers were just one win away from reaching the Super Bowl last season, and the selection of Love clearly didn't get them any closer to reaching that goal in 2020.