Cory’s Corner: Backup Quarterback Job Could Be Interesting

There are plenty of battles as camp opens July 22. 

Who will be the five best offensive linemen? Does Eric Stokes or Carrington Valentine win the starting cornerback job?

Those are solid battles but the one that intrigues me is at backup quarterback. I know you’re thinking I’m nuts. Because the general theory is that if Jordan Love gets injured for a sustained amount of time, the Packers season for all intents and purposes is over. 

And that’s 100 percent true. Love has his heartbeat on this group of wide receivers like no other person I’ve ever seen. His first year as a starting quarterback was filled with poise and patience — overseeing a group of receivers that really were learning the pro game themselves. 

But what if Love only misses a couple games? 

That’s where things get tricky. There were plenty of people that had their jaws wide open when Sean Clifford played in preseason. Heck, there were plenty of people that wanted the fifth round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft to be given the starting reins when Love was going through growing pains in October. 

Clifford is an OK pocket passer, but he’s light years away from Love’s arm angles, improvisation and running ability. Which is funny, because the guy that actually resembles those qualities is Michael Pratt. The seventh round pick was a four-year starter at Tulane. The Green Wave went 21-3 over the last two seasons with Pratt at quarterback. 

“He really turned that program around,” said Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst in April. “Started a lot of games for them. He’s a good athlete. He’s got a pretty live arm. Very accurate.”

So that’s where we are. A quarterback in Clifford that isn’t afraid to stand tall in the pocket until he unloads a strike. And another in Pratt that is willing to run circles around anyone and everyone. 

Clifford surprised a lot of people last summer when he made a lot of plays and showed plenty of toughness — something the Packers absolutely love.  

“Pratt clearly showed a subtle, refined sense of timing and anticipation with good eyes and vision regarding safety structure and rotation,” said Greg Cosell after the draft. “That trait raises the level of quarterback play in the NFL “

There are a lot of things that both quarterbacks cannot do. It’s how each one navigates those challenges is how Packers head coach Matt LaFleur will decide. 

The backup quarterback job in Green Bay seems meaningless right now. In a 17-game season, having depth at the most important position is never a bad thing.