The battle for the backup quarterback spot in Green Bay Packers training camp is heating up. As the team prepares for their second preseason game against the Denver Broncos, the battle between incumbent Sean Clifford and rookie Michael Pratt appears to be getting closer. And the Packers are still not sure if either is ready to take significant reps at the position if anything should happen to starter Jordan Love.
Packers Battle for the Backup Quarterback Spot Heats Up: The Incumbent
The Packers selected Clifford in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Most scouts expected the Penn State alum to go lower in the draft, perhaps in the seventh round. Many people considered the pick a reach.
Once he got into training camp, Clifford proved to be a pleasant surprise. Despite the lack of elite arm strength, he proved to be bold and showed leadership ability. In the preseason, he moved the team downfield well and won the respect of his teammates. Clifford earned the backup quarterback job.
During the regular season, Clifford didn’t see much action. He appeared in just two games and threw just one pass. It was a 37-yard completion to Bo Melton.
Despite his strong preseason, GM Brian Gutekunst told reporters before the draft that the Packers would be looking to add a quarterback in the later rounds of this year’s draft. That was hardly a vote of confidence in Clifford as the team’s backup quarterback.
The Newcomer
Gutekunst made good on his statement that the Packers would draft a quarterback in the late rounds when he selected Pratt in the seventh round. Most scouts expected the Tulane alum to be a mid-round pick, but he fell to the final round of the draft.
Like Clifford, Pratt doesn’t have elite NFL arm strength. He is also a smart player who helped Tulane turn around its program during his seasons as the team’s starter. Pratt possesses confidence and is a true student of the game. He throws an accurate ball and knows how to pick apart opposing defenses.
Since the Packers typically keep one backup quarterback on their 53-man roster. That set up a battle between the two inexperienced signal callers to be Love’s backup. The team would hope to pass the other player through waivers and stash him on the practice squad.
Packers Battle for the Backup Quarterback Spot Heats Up: Training Camp So Far
Clifford got off to a rough start in training camp. With Love not participating in practice until he signed his extension, the second-year QB had a chance to play with the first-string offense.
Unfortunately, Clifford struggled when given the opportunity to start. He threw too many interceptions in practice and failed to move the offense consistently.
Over time, Pratt learned to move the team downfield in practice. He looked better with each passing day as he learned the playbook and adjusted to life in the NFL.
In the preseason opener against the Browns, Clifford played a bit better. He didn’t turn the ball over. He completed 10-of-19 passes for 111 yards. While those numbers don’t look great, they include two dropped passes and some deliberate incompletions to stop the clock. Clifford ran the two-minute drill well and led the offense downfield to a 46-yard field goal with two seconds left before halftime.
Pratt came in later in the game. He also looked good, completing 5-of-7 passes for 46 yards. Neither player fighting for the backup job threw a touchdown pass or an interception.
“He did good,” Love told reporters Tuesday when asked about Pratt. “It was his first NFL game. There’s definitely going to be a lot of nerves and jitters there, but I think he didn’t show any of that. He was locked in and very confident.”
The Latest Update
On Wednesday’s practice, Pratt took over and ran the second-strong offense for the latter part of practice. Earlier in the day, Clifford threw a pair of interceptions. Prior to that, Clifford had always worked with the second stringers while Pratt quarterbacked the third group.
“It can fluctuate on a day-to-day basis,” head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters. In other words, the battle is on.
Clifford will start Sunday night’s game in Denver. LaFleur said Love is not expected to play. LaFleur was also unsure how he would divide the playing time. He indicated it was possible he would alternate series rather than letting Clifford play a half and then Pratt the second half, so both quarterbacks could be seen with similar players around them.
“Yeah, potentially,” LaFleur said when asked about that possibility. “Typically, we haven’t done that, but we’ve done that in the past.”
This battle may go down to the wire. But how both Clifford and Pratt play against Denver will have a big impact on this battle going forward.
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