Packer Central

Packers Friday Practice Update: Who’s QB2 Behind Clayton Tune at Vikings?

Fresh from the Don Hutson Center, here’s who practiced and who did not on Friday as the Green Bay Packers get ready for Sunday’s game at the Minnesota Vikings.
Bill Huber|
With Jordan Love in the background, Clayton Tune warms up before last week's Packers-Ravens game.
With Jordan Love in the background, Clayton Tune warms up before last week's Packers-Ravens game. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Clayton Tune will start at quarterback for the Green Bay Packers at the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

Who will be his backup?

“To be determined,” coach Matt LaFleur said before Friday’s practice, the last of the week before Week 18.

That’s a legitimate and important question.

The blitz-happy Vikings are fourth in the NFL in sack percentage. They’ve done it without an overwhelming individual performance. Last year, Jonathan Greenard (12.0) and Andrew Van Ginkel (11.5) combined for 23.5 sacks. Throw in Patrick Jones (7.0), the Vikings’ top three had 30.5 sacks.

This year, Van Ginkel has a team-high seven sacks and Greenard has only three for a combined 10. However, four players have at least six, with 6.5 sacks by former Packers linebacker Eric Wilson and six apiece from defensive tackle Jalen Redmond and defensive end Dallas Turner.

With strength in numbers, the Vikings enter Sunday with 45 sacks – just three less than last season.

They could be in teeing-off mode against the Packers, who might be treating this game as much like a preseason game as possible. That means backup linemen protecting Tune and backups trying to get open.

Tune was signed off the practice squad this week and will make his second career start. The first came as a rookie fifth-round pick with the Cardinals, when he was 11-of-20 passing, had three turnovers and was sacked seven times.

“I think he’s done an outstanding job,” LaFleur said. “Talk about just ownership of the plan and command in the huddle, all the little things that are big things in terms of your ability to go out there and execute. I think he’s done an outstanding job. Sean Mannion’s put a ton of time in with him, and he’s really getting up to speed.”

Three Players Didn’t Practice

As was the case on Thursday, three players weren’t present for the start of practice. Receiver Dontayvion Wicks remains in the concussion protocol. He hasn’t practiced this week. Rookie receiver/returner Savion Williams (foot/illness) was out for a second consecutive day with. Guard Donovan Jennings (throat) missed a second consecutive day, as well.

With the possibility of the Packers turning this game over completely to the backups, Jennings might have been in line to make his first career start. He’s played only six offensive snaps in two career appearances.

Instead, they might have to dig even further into the depth chart.

“Anytime a guy goes down that you’re counting on or whatever,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said on Thursday, “now it’s just another guy who’s going to get opportunities. We’ll kind of see where it goes.”

Day 2 for Trevon Diggs

Cornerback Trevon Diggs, who was signed off waivers from the Cowboys on Wednesday, practiced for a second consecutive day. Despite limited practice reps, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley wants Diggs to play.

“There’s some that will say it’s easiest position to come in and play and tell the guy to cover a guy in man-to-man coverage and tell a guy to play three-deep or tell a guy to play cloud,” Hafley said. “But at the same time, there’s adjustments. Who you’re working with in man coverage? If my man motions, do I run with him? Do I bump the coverage? How do you play it here, how’d you play it in Dallas? …

“So, to the outsiders and some other people, it’s probably the easiest one. I still think there’s a level of difficulty but, saying that, it’s our job to make sure that he is ready to play.”

Also practicing was right tackle Zach Tom, who injured a knee at Denver and missed the last two games.

So, Who Will Back Up Clayton Tune?

The Packers have three options, and none are great.

Working backward, the Packers could go with Desmond Ridder. A third-round pick in 2022, he has 18 career starts but joined the team this week. They’d have to run a limited offense if he had to play.

“He’s a guy that we’ve seen up close and personal,” LaFleur said. “We played against him when he was in Atlanta and watching what he did in that game, he led them to a win. So, he’s got experience in the system. I think he’s put in the time. Sean’s been working with him, too. He’ll be ready to go if need be.”

The Packers could go with their usual backup, Malik Willis, though he’s dealing with an injured throwing shoulder.

“If everybody’s medically cleared to go, then we’ll make a decision,” LaFleur said.

Or – and LaFleur, for what it’s worth, said this is a real option – they could go with Love, who has been full participation this week and cleared the concussion protocol. But putting the franchise quarterback behind a makeshift offensive line seems insane.

Big News From Minnesota

For the Vikings, quarterback J.J. McCarthy progressed to full participation on Thursday and will start on Sunday, coach Kevin O’Connnell told reporters in Minneapolis on Friday. He was inactive for the win over Detroit with an injured right hand.

Running back Aaron Jones (hip), tight end J. Hockenson (shoulder) and receiver/returner Myles Price (ankle) did not practice this week and are out.

The Vikings released their final injury report after their practice. The Packers will release their final injury report this afternoon.

Packers Injury Report From Thursday

Did not participate: G Donovan Jennings (throat), WR Dontayvion Wicks (concussion). WR Savion Williams (foot/illness).

Limited: LG Aaron Banks (illness/ankle), LB Edgerrin Cooper (shoulder), RB Josh Jacobs (knee/ankle), LB Nick Niemann (pectoral), WR Jayden Reed (illness), RT Zach Tom (back/knee), DE Lukas Van Ness (illness/foot), G John Williams (back), QB Malik Willis (right shoulder/hamstring).

Full participation: QB Jordan Love (left shoulder/concussion).

Note: Niemann and Williams have been designated for return from injured reserve and are in their 21-day practice windows.

Vikings Final Injury Report

Out: TE T.J. Hockenson (shoulder), RB Aaron Jones (hip), WR Myles Price (ankle), TE Gavin Bartholomew (back).

Questionable: CB Dwight McGlothern.

Note: Bartholomew has been designated for return from injured reserve and is in his 21-day practice window.

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.