The Green Bay Packers dropped their second game of the 2024 NFL preseason 27-2 in a contest on the road against the Denver Broncos. There were truly few positive things to take away from the game, as evidenced by the final score. While Green Bay’s starters and key contributors did not play, the poor performances of their bench players left little about which to be optimistic concerning the team’s depth.
This is especially true of the backup quarterback position. With Jordan Love inactive for the game, the Packers gave 2023 fifth-round pick Sean Clifford the first half and 2023 seventh-round pick Michael Pratt the second half. The two quarterbacks are vying for the role of Love’s backup this upcoming season.
Neither quarterback did anything to separate himself from the other in the competition against Denver.
Green Bay Packers Quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt Struggled Against the Denver Broncos
With Love sitting out, all eyes were on Clifford and Pratt to see which of them would emerge as the favorite to win the backup quarterback job. Unfortunately, neither of them did.
Clifford started the game and looked lost for much of the first half. He finished his night with a 60% completion percentage (6/10), 43 passing yards, an interception, and a 30.4 passer rating. If a quarterback spiked the ball on every play, he would have a passer rating of 39.6.
Pratt was not much better. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 52 yards and a 67.7 passer rating.
The two quarterbacks’ failure to take advantage of the situation in which they were put led many fans to call for the Packers to go out and sign a veteran to serve as Love’s backup in 2024.
Three Veteran Free Agent Quarterbacks the Green Bay Packers Could (but Won’t) Call
This is not something that Green Bay is going to do. While they have the salary cap space, they have already committed themselves to developing quarterbacks, and the loss to Denver was an unfortunate and painful step in that process.
But if they were so inclined to call around on available free agents, they would find the cupboard is currently pretty bare.
Ryan Tannehill
Of all the free agent quarterbacks available with NFL experience, there is none with a better resume than former Tennessee Titans (and Matt LaFleur pupil) Pro Bowler Ryan Tannehill.
In 2019, Tannehill won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award and made his only Pro Bowl by completing 70.3% of his passes for 2,742 yards, 22 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 117.5 passer rating in 12 games (10 starts).
The next season, Tannehill completed 65.5% of his passes while throwing for 3,819 yards, 33 touchdowns, just seven interceptions, and a passer rating of 106.5.
Over the past two seasons, though, Tannehill has struggled to stay healthy and has underperformed when on the field. Last year, he appeared in 10 games (eight starts), and completed 64.8% of his passes while throwing for 1,616 yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Currently a free agent, he has been named as a fit for Green Bay by many analysts throughout the offseason.
Brian Hoyer
Besides the 2014 season in which he was the starter for the Cleveland Browns and the 2015 season in which he started for the Houston Texans, Brian Hoyer has spent many years in the NFL as a backup quarterback.
Last season, Hoyer spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders, appearing in three games and starting one of them. He completed 54.8% of his passes for 231 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions.
For his career, Hoyer has a 59.3% completion percentage, 53 touchdowns, 37 interceptions, and an 82.0 passer rating.
He won the Super Bowl as Tom Brady’s backup on the 2018 New England Patriots.
Blaine Gabbert
Once upon a time, Blaine Gabbert was the tenth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. It did not take long, though, for it to be clear that he was not an NFL-caliber starting quarterback.
He has, however, carved out a nice role for himself as a serviceable backup. Gabbert is a two-time Super Bowl Champion, having won rings with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 and the Kansas City Chiefs last year. For his career, he has a 56.3% completion percentage, 51 touchdowns, 50 interceptions, and a passer rating of 71.7.
