The quarterback market has remained lively in 2024. Trevor Lawrence and Jared Goff every acquired contracts that can pay them $53 million or extra per yr, and Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa continues to be ready on his personal extension.

Regardless of a scarcity of multi-year success as a starter, Love’s contract may find yourself in such a variety. It is usually how enterprise is carried out within the NFL, particularly on the recreation’s most necessary place, the place the participant usually holds a lot of the leverage in negotiations.

Love is exercising such leverage by defending his biggest asset — his well being — and sitting out till a deal is completed. It simply would possibly expedite the method, particularly as a result of it is wiser to pay a budding star earlier fairly than later.

“I believe it was Saturday evening they type of knowledgeable us that till we get one thing achieved that he wouldn’t follow,” Gutekunst defined. “Once more, till one thing will get achieved earlier than follow begins right here fairly quickly, he won’t be practising. However once more, I believe that is one thing we’re all engaged on.

“We definitely perceive the place he is coming from. We might like him to be on the market. It is necessary for him to be on the market. … However as of now, till we get that resolved, he won’t be practising. He’ll be participating in… He reported final week, he is participating in every part else.”

Love’s 2023 ascension wasn’t a fluke, however an instance of how one staff’s belief in its course of can produce unbelievable outcomes. Inexperienced Bay has no cause to anticipate something apart from extra success from its quarterback within the years forward, giving them greater than sufficient confidence to work out a brand new deal.

Now, it is a matter of figuring out numbers with a way of urgency.