The Green Bay Packers got the news they wanted regarding Jordan Love's injury. He reportedly suffered a sprained MCL that should only keep him on the sidelines for a few weeks. The fear was that it could've been far worse.
Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the expected timeline is three to six weeks.
It creates a new problem. How do the Packers win without Love? Even if he only misses three games, the team must find a way to get a win or two on the board before his return. Starting the season 0-4 would significantly decrease the Packers' playoff hopes, even with a healthy Love.
The issue? Malik Willis is the backup quarterback, but he only arrived in Green Bay two weeks ago. It's unrealistic to expect Willis to have a deep understanding of the offense. Then there is Sean Clifford, who the Packers waived during roster cuts. Green Bay went with Willis as the backup ahead of Clifford in Week 1, highlighting the team's lack of trust in their former fifth-round pick.
There is no perfect solution, but the best one could be to call Ryan Tannehill.
Former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel believes the Packers should sign Tannehill to cover for Love. The former Pro Bowler is still a free agent after spending the past five seasons with the Tennessee Titans.
With games against the Indianapolis Colts, Titans, and Minnesota Vikings on deck, the Packers don't need Patrick Mahomes to lead the offense. They could get by with adequate quarterback play.
Matt LaFleur's creativity and elite play-calling ability gives the Packers a good base. They need a quarterback who can get the ball in the hands of their playmakers. Tannehill might be the answer.
While Tannehill would face a similar problem to Willis, in that he would have limited time to learn the playbook, he has experience in a variation of LaFleur's offense. Arthur Smith replaced LaFleur as Tennessee's offensive coordinator but retained a lot of the same system.
During his two seasons in a LaFleur-style system, Tannehill threw for 6,561 yards, 55 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions, earning Pro Bowl honors.
He struggled last season, putting up 1,616 yards, four touchdowns, and seven interceptions, but LaFleur's quarterback-friendly offense could help him find a rhythm. Tannehill has the experience to make enough plays to consistently get the ball in the hands of Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and Romeo Doubs.
The Packers' offense will take a step back without Love, but signing Tannehill could help them stay in contention while their star quarterback recovers.
