Green Bay Packers quarterback Taylor Elgersma put together a promising performance in week two of the preseason against the Indianapolis Colts, highlighted by his cannon of an arm.
Considering his similarities to another former QB3, could Elgersma be the next UDFA signal caller to win Green Bay fans’ hearts?
Prior to the Pack
Before going pro, Taylor Elgersma played four seasons at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, where he was the starting quarterback for three.
His performance improved every year he played, beginning with a modest stat line of 2,141 yards with fifteen touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2022 before truly breaking out in 2023.
Elgersma led the country in passing yards in his second go around as the Golden Hawks’ starter, throwing for 3,482 yards and twenty-five touchdowns, along with eight interceptions between the regular season and playoffs.
Laurier reached the Yates Cup, Ontario’s championship game, for the first time since 2016, and although they were defeated, Elgersma was recognized as second team all-Canadian, an honor that spans all of Canada’s provinces.
Elgersma’s final year with the Golden Hawks was his best, leading Laurier to an undefeated regular season and a top finish in their conference for the first time since 2005. He threw for 4,252 yards and 35 touchdowns between the regular season and playoffs, and was named MVP in the team’s Yates Cup victory.
After advancing out of Ontario, the team also won the semi-final Uteck Bowl, in which Elgersma set a record for passing yards with 452, all while throwing five touchdowns and again being named MVP.
The Golden Hawks then appeared in their first Canadian championship game since 2005, the Vanier Cup, and suffered their only loss of the season. Elgersma was honored as first team all-Canadian and awarded the Hec Crighton Trophy, which is equivalent to the American Heisman.
After the season, Elgersma became only the second Canadian university player to be invited to the Senior Bowl, where he impressed, and was drafted in the second round of the CFL draft by Winnipeg, with his likelihood of NFL interest making him fall to the eighteenth selection.
Preseason Performance
Taylor Elgersma became the first Canadian university quarterback to sign with an NFL team since 1987 when he signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent earlier this year.
The London, Ontario product was one of the Packers top thirty visits prior to the draft, indicating their interest in his talents, and following an invite to rookie mini-camp, the Packers inked a deal with Elgersma before he had the chance to attend another camp opportunity with the Buffalo Bills.
After receiving limited playing time against the New York Jets in week one of the preseason, completing three of his four passes for twenty-four yards in the fourth quarter, the Green Bay Packers let Elgersma lose against the Indianapolis Colts in week two.
Elgersma played for the better part of a half, going seven for eleven with 109 yards. He had both a touchdown and an ugly interception erased by penalties, and while his unfamiliarity with American football showed at times, especially in the pocket, he looked the part of a potential backup.
He ignited three of the Packers four scoring drives, two for touchdowns and one for a field goal, and noticeably gained composure as the game progressed, which led to a comeback 23-19 victory.
The arm talent was obvious, and with it came comparisons to another former Green Bay favorite.
Laser Show 2.0
If Taylor Elgersma’s style of play looked familiar, it should.
His dart-like throws in week two were reminiscent of former Green Bay Packers quarterback Tim Boyle, who was often regarded for his preseason “Laser Shows.”
Boyle was the last undrafted quarterback to play his way onto the Packers, and Elgersma’s certainly has more of a pedigree than Boyle did at that time.
Back in 2018, Boyle put up 294 yards and three touchdowns across three weeks of preseason action to make the final 53 as the third quarterback behind Aaron Rodgers and DeShone Kizer, and Elgersma may get the chance to produce a similar stat line with Jordan Love on the mend.
According to Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, the race for the third quarterback spot is “interesting,” and Taylor Elgersma received the playing time that he did because the Packers have seen the incumbent QB3 Sean Clifford “a lot” and wanted to “…see what Taylor does with the bulk of the backup reps.”
This seems to indicate that the door may be open for Elgersma, even though Sean Clifford was the quarterback behind the Packers’ game winning drive.
Considering Stenavich’s words, and the fact that Malik Willis is likely to receive a starting opportunity once his current contract expires in 2026, we could be seeing Taylor Elgersma as Jordan Love’s second sooner rather than later.
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