The quarterback market has remained active in 2024. Trevor Lawrence and Jared Goff each received contracts that will pay them $53 million or more per year, and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa is still waiting on his own extension.

Despite a lack of multi-year success as a starter, Love’s contract could end up in such a range. It’s often how business is conducted in the NFL, especially at the game’s most important position, where the player often holds most of the leverage in negotiations.

Love is exercising such leverage by protecting his greatest asset — his health — and sitting out until a deal is done. It just might expedite the process, especially because it’s wiser to pay a budding star earlier rather than later.

“I think it was Saturday night they kind of informed us that until we get something done that he would not practice,” Gutekunst explained. “Again, until something gets done before practice starts here pretty soon, he will not be practicing. But again, I think this is something we’re all working on.

“We certainly understand where he’s coming from. We’d like him to be out there. It’s important for him to be out there. … But as of now, until we get that resolved, he will not be practicing. He’ll be taking part in… He reported last week, he’s taking part in everything else.”

Love’s 2023 ascension wasn’t a fluke, but an example of how one team’s trust in its process can produce fantastic results. Green Bay has no reason to expect anything other than more success from its quarterback in the years ahead, giving them more than enough confidence to work out a new deal.

Now, it’s a matter of working out numbers with a sense of urgency.