Backup quarterback options the Packers need to consider before it's too late

There's no sugarcoating what happened in Denver for the Green Bay Packers. It was a disaster.

While the reserves played in the game on Sunday, Friday's joint practice was not much better. One bad practice with an improving team can be excused if they respond well this week.

However, the struggles in Sunday's game point to a more critical issue. There is a glaring need at the backup quarterback position. Should something happen to Jordan Love, Green Bay needs to have a legitimate plan in place so it isn't scrambling to win a couple of games in the interim.

5 options the Packers have at backup quarterback

Ryan Tannehill

Packers fans and analysts alike have been clamoring for Green Bay to sign Ryan Tannehill to serve as a mentor and backup to Jordan Love.

Tannehill is probably the biggest name on the market and would likely command a pretty good chunk of the remaining salary cap room, which is estimated at around $22 million, depending on the source. Tannehill is a guy who could serve as a stopgap for a short-term Love absence or as a Nick Foles-esque backup who could lead this talented roster to a deeper playoff run in the event of a serious injury.

Taylor Heinicke

Taylor Heinicke is another legitimate veteran option who has seen a thing or two in the NFL. Heinicke has been in the NFL since 2015 and has had a career resurgence going back to his time in Washington from 2020-2022. In the 2022 season, Heinicke led Washington to a win at Lambeau Field and revealed himself as a Packers fan growing up. He continued his tradition of buying himself a pair of Jordans in the team color of every team he beat as a starter.

Heinicke figures to be available either as a cutdown candidate or a cheap trade, considering Atlanta seems set at quarterback immediately with Kirk Cousins and in the future with top-10 draft pick Michael Penix Jr. For the 2024 preseason, Heinicke is 12/27 with 125 yards, most of which came in Atlanta's preseason Week 2 loss to Baltimore, where he went 8/16 for 114 yards.

For his career, he has appeared in 34 games and completed 604 of 966 passes for 6,635 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions.

Trevor Siemian

Another journeyman in the NFL, Trevor Siemian is a potential target for backup duties in Green Bay, as he likely is a considerably cheap option as a veteran free agent. Siemian is a capable option in a long-term role, having started 14 games in 2016 with the Broncos, throwing for 3,401 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He led Denver to an 8-6 record over that stretch.

Last year, the New York Jets brought in Siemian to relieve Zach Wilson and Tim Boyle after the injury to former Packers legend Aaron Rodgers.

Siemian was solid from a record standpoint, going 2-1 in the three games he started. He did throw only two touchdowns to four interceptions, but the Jets were a dumpster fire by that point all the way around.

Zach Wilson

Another former Jets quarterback, Zach Wilson is by no means a first-choice option as a starter. However, he is young and arguably better than what Green Bay has on its roster behind Jordan Love. Wilson remains a project at the NFL level, but Packers quarterbacks coach Tom Clements could be just the man for the job. Wilson capped his collegiate career off with 3,692 yards, 33 touchdowns, and only three interceptions in his junior season at BYU.

Wilson still has a considerable way to go to be productive at the NFL level. But he has shown flashes, including being able to lead the Jets' comeback against the Bills in the game Rodgers was injured, and a span of three straight wins over the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants.

Wilson was traded to Denver, who took a chance on him after last season. On Sunday, he went 2/6 for 29 yards and a touchdown against the Packers' reserves in the preseason.

Let Michael Pratt and Sean Clifford continue to battle

This may not be the option Packers fans want to hear following the loss to Denver, but it's the most likely to occur, so we should be prepared.

The young quarterbacks struggled mightily in separate ways. Clifford continues to look just a tick slow, just as he did against the Cleveland Browns, except this time, it cost him. Clifford went 6/10 for 43 yards and a costly interception. Before the pick, Clifford had some momentum brewing against Denver's second-string unit, picking up three first downs—one through the air, one with his legs on an 11-yard run, and another via a roughing-the-passer penalty.

Pratt wasn't significantly better but had the opposite problem. His rocket arm lacks touch at times, including one ball that he significantly over-threw Malik Heath on a third-down play. He also missed badly on a slant route to Grant DuBose, throwing well behind the second-year target. Pratt had a turnover of his own, losing a fumble on a strip sack on the Packers' own 20-yard line.

Rookie and second-year quarterbacks struggle. That is the nature of the game. However, Green Bay doesn't necessarily have the luxury to draft and develop in "win now" mode. The Packers should try to stash Pratt, if not both him and Clifford, on the practice squad so that they can continue to develop and have a shot at competition next year.

If they don't feel that is plausible, they may need to let these two battle, sign a vet anyway, and go with the winner, carrying three quarterbacks through the season. This is all less than ideal, and barring a significant and decisive improvement this week in practice and against the Baltimore Ravens in the preseason finale, a move should be made.

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