As the 2025 NFL Draft fades further into the rearview mirror and the Packers prepare for OTAs — and soon training camp — there remains a lingering concern on the roster. Not necessarily for the upcoming 2025 season, but the years that follow, especially once impending free agent Malik Willis likely departs. The need? A developmental quarterback who can eventually take over backup duties.
The Packers selected Sean Clifford with the 149th-overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 draft, hoping he could grow into a long-term backup behind Jordan Love. While Clifford held the No. 2 role throughout his rookie season, he was never truly tested. Love stayed remarkably healthy, and Clifford only appeared in two games, both in garbage time, completing his lone pass for 37 yards.
Clifford entered the following training camp as the de facto No. 1 quarterback for the first four practices while Love held out for a new contract. The results were less than promising, and at times just flat-out ugly. During his battle with seventh-round pick Michael Pratt, it quickly became clear that Green Bay might need to look outside the organization for a reliable backup. Clifford struggled, throwing interception after interception during practices.
His troubles continued into the preseason, where he had difficulty moving the offense. He completed 22 of 43 passes for 206 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and a fumble. At least once, he was the third quarterback to enter a preseason game, meaning he played against bottom-of-the-roster defenders and still failed to produce strong numbers.
Surprisingly, the Packers chose to keep Clifford on the practice squad over Pratt, that year’s draft pick. After GM Brian Gutekunst traded a seventh-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for Malik Willis at the end of camp, the team cut Pratt, who later joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad.
Many expected Pratt to be the quarterback to keep and develop based on his superior preseason performance (23 of 35 passing for 178 yards, one touchdown, and one interception). In general, he had higher upside. His outing against the Baltimore Ravens (eight of 12, 80 yards, one TD) was better than anything Clifford produced. Ultimately, Clifford may have won out based on his higher draft status and familiarity with the system.
Willis almost certainly will leave after the season due to Green Bay’s 2026 salary cap issues. With Willis likely seeking a new opportunity to start, the Packers must find competition to push Clifford out of the backup conversation.
After opting not to draft a quarterback this year, the team signed Taylor Elgersma, a top Canadian prospect. He attended Green Bay’s rookie minicamp two weekends ago and was signed before he could join the Buffalo Bills’ camp. Elgersma is the only undrafted free-agent quarterback the team has shown interest in, suggesting the battle for the 2025 practice squad spot is between him and Clifford.
Head coach Matt LaFleur praised Elgersma’s “live arm” after minicamp, and scouts noticed him at the Senior Bowl, where he became the first Canadian quarterback ever invited. However, questions remain about his long-term viability.
Although Elgersma won the Hec Crighton Trophy – Canada’s equivalent of the Heisman – he only began playing football in the 10th grade. And because Canadian football uses 12 players per side, he only began practicing 11-on-11 football this year.
The learning curve for the NFL is steep, and expecting him to be ready for a backup role in just one season might be unrealistic. Should he make it to preseason games, he likely won’t have more than a drive or two to show the coaching staff what he has. Love and Willis need to prepare for the season, and Clifford will also get a few drives. We could be talking about just a couple of snaps over the three contests.
LaFleur has also noted the difficulty in getting four quarterbacks meaningful snaps during camp. If the team keeps all four QBs this summer, it would mark the first time since LaFleur’s debut season that such a thing has happened. Will Elgersma have a real shot at supplanting Clifford?
Another complication: Elgersma was the first quarterback taken in the recent CFL draft (18th overall). It wouldn’t be surprising if he chooses to start in the CFL rather than take a practice squad role in Green Bay. The odds of the Packers carrying three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster are slim.
It’s worth keeping an eye on quarterback cuts after training camp. While teams rarely release talented passers, a trade for another reclamation project similar to Willis is possible. If the Packers let Willis walk, they’ll likely earn a compensatory pick, giving them flexibility to trade a late-rounder for a quarterback they believe can serve as a future backup.
Whether through a free-agent signing, a summer trade, or more likely a higher pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, it’s hard to believe Green Bay’s future backup quarterback is currently on the roster.