The Inexperienced Bay Packers are caught in a really tough spot with quarterback Jordan Love’s damage.
Whereas the crew prevented the nuclear state of affairs of Love lacking the remainder of the season, his reported MCL damage sustained Friday in Brazil reportedly will hold him out for anyplace from three to 6 weeks throughout the common season, per NFL Community’s Tom Pelissero.
That stretch for the Packers isn’t essentially as treacherous because it could possibly be, with video games towards the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans all inside the subsequent six weeks.
The Packers will need Love again as quickly as attainable, however they’ll additionally need to ensure that he’s wholesome for the second half of the season. They’ll need to ensure that they’re as aggressive as attainable whereas he’s out, however they’re actually not in a spot to make a significant transfer at quarterback with Love coming again.
There are alternatives on the market for the Packers, because the crew can roll with what it has in-house or determine to usher in a journeyman veteran quarterback to maintain the ship regular till Love is ready to return.
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Choice 1: Roll with Malik Willis and Sean Clifford
It’s very attainable (if not the more than likely state of affairs) for the Packers to simply roll with Willis, who they acquired through commerce with the Titans earlier than the common season began, and Clifford, the quarterback on their observe squad.
Willis would begin in that state of affairs, and Clifford would again him up. Willis began a few video games for the Titans in 2022, going 1-2 and throwing for 276 yards and three interceptions in that span. Whereas we’re unsure how he’d do for 3 or extra video games behind heart for Inexperienced Bay, he’s their best choice within the constructing. We’d guess the Packers would attempt to make the most of his legs and lean on the run recreation as a lot as attainable throughout that stretch and draw up a low-risk passing assault that focuses on quick beneficial properties and secure bets.
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Choice 2: Commerce for a vet like Joe Flacco to maintain the ship regular as attainable
There may be not a greater journeyman quarterback within the NFL proper now than Flacco, who went 4-1 as a starter for the Cleveland Browns final season after signing with the crew proper earlier than Thanksgiving. He actually received NFL Comeback Participant of the 12 months throughout that five-game stretch and began in a playoff recreation for Cleveland.
If the Colts are okay with having Sam Ehlinger again up Anthony Richardson at quarterback for some time, Indianapolis might ship Flacco to Inexperienced Bay for a month or extra after which perhaps signal him again as soon as Love is wholesome and Inexperienced Bay now not wants his companies. Heck, perhaps the Packers simply maintain onto Flacco for the season and the Colts roll with Ehlinger. Both means, the Packers beginning Flacco whereas Love is out might present actual stability.
Different backups that would perhaps be had in a commerce are Mac Jones (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jimmy Garoppolo (Los Angeles Rams), Carson Wentz (Kansas Metropolis Chiefs), Joshua Dobbs (San Franciscio 49ers) and Andy Dalton (Carolina Panthers).
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Choice 3: Signal a quarterback off one other crew’s observe squad
If the Packers don’t really feel comfy with Willis beginning for a protracted period of time and don’t need to commerce for a vet like Flacco, the crew might at all times look to a different crew’s observe squad. Strong stopgap with beginning expertise names on the market embody Mike White (Buffalo Payments), Bailey Zappe (Kansas Metropolis Chiefs), Will Grier (Philadelphia Eagles) and Desmond Ridder (Arizona Cardinals). Nonetheless, Willis is on par with these guys.
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Choice 4: Signal a veteran out of free company
We’re unsure how quarterback Ryan Tannehill would really feel about beginning for a month or so for the Packers earlier than ceding the job to Love as soon as he’s wholesome and hanging round Titletown as a Grade-A backup for the remainder of the season. If he’s prepared, he’s the most suitable choice on the market exterior of a commerce for somebody like Flacco. If Tannehill needs to attend for a everlasting beginning job in 2024, veterans like C.J. Beathard, Nate Sudfeld, P.J. Walker and Trevor Siemian are at the moment obtainable as free brokers. All have began NFL video games.
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Choice 5: Attempt to persuade a vet like Nick Foles to come back again to the NFL
That is probably the most unlikely state of affairs on the desk for the Packers, as most NFL quarterbacks who determine to retire hold it that means. Nonetheless, if the Packers actually don’t like several of the choices above, they might at all times attempt to persuade somebody like Nick Foles (who hasn’t performed since 2022) to affix Inexperienced Bay for the remainder of the season. The Packers in all probability received’t take this path, however we’ll current it anyhow only for the sake of it. Don’t rely on Teddy Bridgewater, nonetheless. He’s teaching highschool soccer this fall.
