The Green Bay Packers had a difficult decision to make.
Rookie quarterback Taylor Elgersma showed enough in the preseason to deserve an opportunity, but the Packers couldn't justify finding room on their 53-man roster.
According to Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated, the Packers are waiving Elgersma. While it felt inevitable, Green Bay could regret that decision as soon as Wednesday.
Packers take a risk they could instantly regret by waiving QB Taylor Elgersma
Back in May, the Packers moved quickly to sign Elgersma after hosting him at rookie minicamp amid interest from the Buffalo Bills. Now, they've just pushed the door open for Buffalo (and any other team) to put in a waiver claim.
It's out of the Packers' hands. To re-sign Elgersma to the practice squad on Wednesday, he must first clear waivers. The other 31 teams will have the opportunity to add him to their 53-man roster.
While the rookie quarterback isn't ready to play in the regular season, he is perfect for the developmental QB3 role. Elgersma is still adjusting to the speed of the NFL, which was evident on occasions when he processed the play too slowly and didn't get the ball out quickly enough.
But it's hard to ignore his arm strength — something that stood out from Day 1 in Green Bay — and playmaking ability. Elgersma completed 16 of 23 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown in the preseason, considerably outperforming the more experienced Sean Clifford.
Malik Willis is the backup in Green Bay, but perhaps not for much longer.
His contract expires at the end of the season, and it won't be surprising if teams show interest in having him compete for a starting job. The Packers will likely need a new QB2 in 2026, a role Elgersma could step into if he continues his impressive development.
That's no longer in Green Bay's control. Elgersma must first clear waivers before the Packers can re-sign him to the practice squad. It could be an anxious 24-hour wait.