The Green Bay Packers could opt to ride with Desmond Ridder as the backup at the game’s most important position. However, if they’re looking to address the Malik Willis-sized hole on the roster behind Jordan Love, Miami’s Carson Beck would be an interesting gamble that could pay off big.
General manager Brian Gutekunst said back at the NFL Combine in February that he doesn’t believe Ridder has reached his full potential.
We didn’t have him (Ridder) for very long, but I was very excited when he was with us, and certainly we’ve scouted him over a number of years. He brings some elements we would like in a backup quarterback. I think he’s got a little bit of upside. I don’t think he’s hit his full potential yet, so I’m excited about that. But there’ll be competition in there for sure.
That last sentence is key. Gutekunst is making it clear that Green Bay isn’t settled on a QB backup plan.
Enter Carson Beck.
Beck has a long college résumé that helps him stand out as a prospect, but he went through plenty of ups and downs. Even at Georgia, Beck was a human roller coaster ride. A UCL injury in his final year with the Bulldogs in 2024 left him with a decision. Instead of risking it in the draft, Beck transferred to Miami and put up an admirable season in 2025 that led the Hurricanes to a National Championship appearance.
It’d be inaccurate to suggest that Miami made it as far as it did because of Beck’s right arm. Beck was brilliant in spurts, but this was a Hurricanes team led by their defense. Beck proved the UCL injury wasn’t a career-ender, but his deep ball didn’t look nearly as sharp after surgery as it did during his time at Georgia.
That, coupled with other weaknesses like a true lack of mobility and general inconsistency, has Beck targeted as a late Day 2 or early Day 3 selection.
There’s plenty of upside, though.
Beck’s frame leaves scouts giddy. He is 6’5′, 230 lbs., has a compact release, and is good working through his progressions and not panicking if the first read isn’t available. That was on full display at Georgia and Miami. If scouting were based on physical tools only, Beck would check damn near every box. It’s more than that, though, as NFL Draft Buzz notes.
Here’s what you need to understand about Carson Beck — the physical tools have never been the question. Stand him next to any quarterback in this class and he looks the part at 6’4″, 220 lbs. with legitimate NFL arm strength. Put on the tape and watch him sling it into tight windows, manipulate coverage with his eyes, work through progressions with veteran poise.
But quarterback evaluation isn’t just about what shows up on Sunday highlights. It’s about what happens when the game gets messy, when protection breaks down, when you need someone to protect a lead instead of chasing one. That’s where Beck has lived in the gray area throughout his career, making scouts nervous about whether they can build around him long-term.
There’s a Jekyll and Hyde element to Beck’s game. Against Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff semifinal, Beck used his arm and legs to lead the Hurricanes on a 15-play, 75-yard drive, capped off by Beck waltzing into the end zone from three yards out. Miami went up 31-27 with 18 seconds left on what would be the game-winning drive.
Carson Beck 23/37, 268 YDS, 3 Total TDs, 1 INT vs Ole Miss 2025 CFP Semifinal.pic.twitter.com/FP0mPXGVpn https://t.co/aMjI00WIJB
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) January 9, 2026
Fast forward to the National Championship against Indiana, and Beck was in the same spot. This time, he lofted a duck into double coverage that the Hoosiers easily intercepted, who proceeded to send the offense onto the field in victory formation.
CARSON BECK INTERCEPTION
INDIANA HAS WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!
pic.twitter.com/KifkLDZCgY
— Fliff (@fliff) January 20, 2026
Sequences like that leave scouts wondering which version of Beck will show up in the NFL. The concerns about the deep ball tailing off following his UCL surgery are always going to linger until Beck proves otherwise.
Carson Beck looks the part, with the frame that every front office dreams about. He has the big-game experience that can’t be simulated or taught. He put together a whale of a college career, albeit one with some flaws. Most notable is his arm strength, which, 2025 regression notwithstanding, always kept you holding your breath. It’s enough to make for a tantalizing prospect for a Packers team in search of a QB2, as there’s an intriguing chance the best of Beck’s game has yet to be seen.