The preseason is officially underway for the NFL, and while some are quick to categorize the games as meaningless, they’re actually really meaningful for a number of reasons. For some teams, the preseason is used to get the team ready for the regular season. Some franchises use it as an opportunity to prepare young guys for the NFL. The most common use, however, is roster evaluation.
Preseason games are an extension of training camp and help teams determine the depth chart and which players will make the 53-man roster. That’s why when the Green Bay Packers take the field on Saturday against the New York Jets, the game will have really high stakes for some players.
One player, specifically, who could be playing for their career is quarterback Sean Clifford. Entering his third season with the team, Clifford is currently on the roster bubble, so he must prove he deserves to make the regular-season roster.
Sean Clifford needs to secure Packers QB3 spot during preseason
Clifford was drafted by Green Bay in the fifth round of the 2023 Draft, and the team was hoping he would establish himself as the primary backup to Jordan Love. However, that never happened. Instead, the team acquired Malik Willis, and Clifford was bumped down the depth chart.
Now, entering his third season, Clifford is fighting to be the team’s QB3. He’s currently in a battle with undrafted rookie quarterback Taylor Elgersma for the job. How both perform in the preseason will likely determine who the Packers keep. Whether it’s on the active roster or the practice squad, Green Bay is only likely to keep one.
Clifford, of course, has the experience as this is his third NFL training camp. While he only has 13 regular-season snaps, coming in two games in 2023, he’s done the preseason thing before. Time will tell if that makes a difference or not.
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