It tends to take three seasons for a starting NFL quarterback to come into his own and prove who he’ll be in the league — and the time has come for the Green Bay Packers and Jordan Love.

Last season, Love didn’t take the step forward many fans had hoped for, due in part to playing through injury and having lackluster offensive weapons around him.

Had Love started right away instead of playing understudy to Aaron Rodgers for his first three seasons in the league, the Packers could have more flexibility building a roster around a rookie-scale contract at quarterback.

Instead, the clock is ticking for Love, who received a massive four-year, $220 million extension in 2024 with just one season as a starter under his belt.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love

Jordan Love is facing steep expectations entering his third year as the Packers’ starting quarterback.

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer shared his concerns that the Packers are looking for him to elevate his teammates, given the stature of his contract, a top-five deal at his position in terms of average annual value ($55 million per season).

“It’s Jordan Love time. Only one offensive player on the roster (two-time Pro Bowl guard Elgton Jenkins), and three players in total, predate the quarterback’s time with the team. He’s on a top-of-market deal, so the onus is on him to start lifting his teammates rather than the other way around,” Breer wrote on June 30. “The roster’s still solid, but competitions at left tackle and receiver will help set the course for how far the team can go, and Love’s work through any bumps at those spots will be key.”

The timeline of Love’s ascension runs opposed to the Vikings, who have loaded their offense with premium talent around J.J. McCarthy’s $5.4 million-a-year deal for the next three seasons.

The Packers have not had the luxury of ample cap space to go sign Pro Bowl playmakers for Love outside of Josh Jacobs. Rather, Love will have to do the heavy lifting expected of a quarterback of his pay grade.

However, a promising reinforcement has arrived.

Matthew Golden became the first wide receiver selected by the Packers in the first round in over two decades. Expectations are high for the 21-year-old whom the Packers hope can become a true No. 1 wide receiver for Love, who is 18-15 as a starter and has thrown 60 touchdowns to 25 interceptions in his career.

If Golden can command that true alpha presence as a pass-catcher, Green Bay’s offense will open up significantly and leave Love to his exploits.