Green Bay Could Add Another Quarterback To The Mix

Note: The NFL Draft begins April 24 and the Green Bay Packers have the 23rd pick in the first round. Between now and then, I’ll examine Green Bay’s current situation at each position and how likely the Packers are to take a player for that group.

Part 1: QUARTERBACK

PACKERS DEPTH CHART

Jordan Love finished the 2023 season as hot as any quarterback in football and finished that year with 32 touchdown passes — the second-most in football.

Love didn’t carry that over to 2024, though, where he had a solid, but far from spectacular season.

Love threw 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and had a 96.7 passer rating, while missing 2 ½ games due to injury. Love ranked 19^th in passing yards (3,389) and completed 63.1% of his passes.

Love had a passer rating of at least 107.7 in five straight games between Weeks 11-15, but was at 92.0, or less, the last four games.

Love then threw three interceptions in Green Bay’s loss to Philadelphia in the NFC Wild Card game and had a season-low passer rating of 41.5.

“I think he is an ascending player that is going to get better and better and better,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Love. “And I think … he approaches the game the right way.

“He’s kind of a, I wouldn’t say a reserved guy, well, maybe reserved. But just keep nudging him to take on a little bit more vocal of a role. Like I said I think that comes with the position. That’s something we’ve talked about, but I love working with the guy every day.”

No. 2 quarterback Malik Willis helped save the Packers’ season in 2024 when Love was hurt. Willis — who was acquired from Tennessee in late August — went 2-0 as a starter, and rallied Green Bay to a win over Jacksonville when he relieved Love in the second half.

Willis finished with a 124.8 passer rating, threw three touchdowns without an interception and rushed for 138 yards — 55 more than Love.

“He was a welcome addition,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of Willis. “I don’t think when you bring a player in right at the cut down day and you expect him to start in a couple weeks and do what he did. So just, you know, really appreciative of his professionalism, and you know, just how prepared he was.”

Willis will be entering the final year of his rookie contract, though, and the Packers will have to think about finding a future No. 2.

OVERALL NEED (scale of 10): 3

Former Green Bay general manager Ron Wolf — who was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2014 — said the best time to draft a quarterback is when you don’t need one. It’s why Wolf took players like Mark Brunell, Matt Hasselbeck and Aaron Brooks even though Hall of Famer Brett Favre was in his prime.

With Love locked in as the starter for the foreseeable future and Willis around for one more year, Green Bay won’t take a quarterback early. But the Packers could take someone in the middle or later rounds and groom them to be Love’s backup in 2026.

THEY SAID IT

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst on his desire to draft a quarterback every year: “I think it’s obviously the most important position in our sport, and I think every year it’s important to really put a lot of time into those guys, identify them. It’s a hard position to play. All you have to do is look at the history of it. It’s a hard position to make it in this league. Yeah, we’ll continue to do that, and if there’s opportunities, we’ll draft them.

Gutekunst on if having two solid quarterbacks would stop him from drafting a third: “No. I mean, I think we really liked Sean (Clifford) last year, and then obviously we took one, Michael, last year. We haven’t carried three in a while on the 53, but I wouldn’t be opposed to doing that if we had the right guys there.”

POSSIBLE PACKERS?

Here are five players the Packers might consider selecting in the second half of the draft.

• Kyle McCord, Syracuse (6-3, 218) — Was cast aside at Ohio State after the 2023 season, then had a terrific year for the Orange in 2024 when he led the NCAA with 4,779 passing yards. Finished with 22-4 career record and 105.7 career passer rating. Projection: Round 3-4

• Jalen Milroe, Alabama (6-2, 216) — Tremendous athlete who ran the 40 in 4.42 seconds. He’s also one of the most inconsistent and least accurate passers in the draft. Projection: Round 3-4

• Quinn Ewers, Texas (6-2, 214) — Started his college career at Ohio State, then transferred to Texas. Strong arm, mediocre athlete. Went 27-8 with the Longhorns and posted a 100.9 career passer rating. Projection: Round 4

• Riley Leonard, Notre Dame (6-3, 216) — Led the Fighting Irish to the national title game last season, before falling to Ohio State. Solid athlete who’s been inconsistent as a passer. Projection: Round 5

Kurtis Rourke, Indiana (6-4, 220) — Somehow played the entire 2024 season on a torn ACL and led the Hoosiers to their most wins (11) in school history. Limited athlete with ideal size and a strong arm. Will use 2025 as a redshirt year. Projection: Round 7.