Packers QBs: Training Camp Depth Chart, Roster Battle, Doomsday Scenario

At the end of training camp in 2024, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst left nothing to chance in his quest to find a competent backup to Jordan Love. In the battle between 2023 fifth-round pick Sean Clifford and 2024 seventh-round pick Michael Pratt, the winner in a landslide was … C, none of the above.

So, Gutekunst made one of the best trades in franchise history when he rescued Malik Willis from the Titans for a seventh-round pick. Willis gave the Packers arguably the best backup quarterback in the league the last two seasons.

Unfortunately for the Packers, he was too good. Willis signed with the Dolphins in free agency and Gutekunst dove into the veteran scrapheap and signed Tyrod Taylor.

Here’s a closer look in Part 1 of our Packers training camp previews.

Packers Quarterback Depth Chart

Jordan Love: Last season, 32 quarterbacks threw at least 250 passes. Love was sixth in passer rating, eighth in yards per attempt, 10th in touchdown percentage and sixth in interception percentage. Love was one of four quarterbacks to finish in the top 10 in each of those four categories.

Love’s status as a top-10 quarterback has been a matter of some debate this offseason. There’d be no debate at all had he not finished only 14th with 23 touchdown passes. That’s a byproduct of the red-zone offense running through Josh Jacobs and coach Matt LaFleur’s slow-it-down offense.

Whatever the numbers and ranking, Love does not stink. He is a very good quarterback with room to improve.

Tyrod Taylor: Taylor, who will turn 37 on Aug. 3, played in six games with four starts for the down-and-out Jets last season. He wasn’t very good – 59.7 percent completions, five touchdowns vs. five interceptions and a 72.9 passer rating – but it’s hard to separate Taylor’s performance from the sad-sack state of the Jets.

Taylor, at least, will give Love a veteran sidekick for the first time as a starter. With 100 career games and 62 career starts, Taylor will be an asset as an unofficial assistant coach during the week and on Sundays. That’s a huge, unsung role.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Tyrod Taylor (6) passes the ball during OTAs. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kyle McCord: McCord threw for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns at Ohio State in 2023 and 4,779 yards and 34 touchdowns for Syracuse in 2024. He was a sixth-round pick by the Eagles and spent his rookie season on their practice squad. He joined the Packers after the season.

Kyron Drones: Drones, an undrafted rookie, threw for 5,566 yards and 44 touchdowns in three seasons at Virginia Tech. The NCAA, for some reason, subtracts sack yardage from rushing totals. Ignore the sacks and Drones rushed for 816 yards last season and 2,222 yards the last three seasons.

Biggest Roster Battle for Packers at Quarterback

McCord vs. Drones: Presumably, one of these young, unproven quarterbacks will be the No. 3 on the depth chart and earn a spot on the practice squad. Considering Tyrod Taylor will be playing on a one-year contract, this year’s No. 3 quarterback might arrive at OTAs next spring as the frontrunner to be the backup.

McCord is the more polished player.

“We really liked his moxie,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “He won a bunch of games there, at both places. From the scouting process always had an eye on him, and when he became available, we thought it made some sense.”

It will take a village for Packers rookie QB Kyron Drones to maxmize his obvious talents.

Fortunately for him, he's got one. ⬇️https://t.co/U9ylK60Woi
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) June 24, 2026

Drones’ passing numbers aren’t nearly as good, but he was plagued by bad pass protection and dropped passes as a senior, when he completed a career-worst 56.5 percent of his passes. The Packers see his size, athleticism and arm talent and envision a Willis-style project.

“I feel like I got the best arm, best talent, best size-wise that I can run, too,” he said of his place in the draft class. “So, I feel like I’m a complete QB. I can only get better. My footwork, I know that’s what I need to work on. And once I get that down pat, I’m going to be a hell of a player.”

The Big Question at QB for the Packers

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) runs the ball during the game at Denver. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We recently hit on three key questions at quarterback. Here’s the big one: For as good as Love was last season, he statistically was one of the worst under-pressure quarterbacks in the league.

Last season, 38 quarterbacks faced at least 85 under-pressure dropbacks. Love was the only one of those quarterbacks who did not throw a touchdown pass. The league median was five. Love had zero touchdowns and four interceptions; Caleb Williams threw seven touchdowns with one interception.

To be a great quarterback, sometimes you have to almost single-handedly win the play. Can Love take that next step?

The Doomsday Scenario at QB

It was almost taboo to think about it: Would the Packers have been better off with Willis at quarterback?

His rise in two seasons in Green Bay was unfathomable. In 11 games with three starts in two seasons as the Titans’ third-round pick in 2022, Willis completed 53.0 percent of his passes with zero touchdowns, three interceptions and a 49.4 passer rating. In 11 games with three starts with the Packers, Willis completed 78.7 percent of his passes with six touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 134.6 rating.

Willis arrived in Green Bay at the end of training camp in 2024. With Love sustaining an injured knee in the opener, Willis was forced to start the next two weeks. With run-centric offenses that took advantage of Willis’ athleticism, the Packers beat the Colts and Titans.

Through time, Willis grew more and more comfortable and coach Matt LaFleur gained more and more confidence. In last year’s Week 17 loss to Baltimore, Willis was fully unleashed in an effort to keep pace with the Ravens on a night in which Green Bay’s defense elected to stay home. Willis was 18-of-21 passing for 288 yards and one touchdown and carried nine times for 60 yards and two touchdowns.

It was absurd, really, and Willis was rewarded with a starting opportunity with the Dolphins.

So, the Packers are back to reality with Taylor, who is good as backups go. He started 43 games for the Bills from 2015 through 2017 but 22 games the last eight seasons.

Over the past two seasons, Willis was one of 61 quarterbacks who threw at least 89 passes. Here’s the tale of the statistical tape.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis sliced and diced the Ravens through the air and on the ground. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Passer rating: Willis was first at 134.6; Taylor was 42nd at 83.3.

Completion percentage: Willis was first at 78.7; Taylor was 43rd at 62.2.

Yards per attempt: Willis was first at 10.9; Taylor was 55th at 5.8.

Touchdowns to interceptions: Willis threw six TDs and zero INTs; Taylor threw eight TDs and five INTs.

During the offseason practices, Taylor showed he’s still a mobile quarterback. The intelligence, of course, hasn’t waned. He will be an asset for the Packers – just not in the same way as Willis.

Because he was so dynamic, the Packers were able to do more than survive with Willis in the game. He gave them a chance to thrive. That won’t be the case with Taylor. That’s not a knock on Taylor. It’s simply a nod to backup quarterback reality, which the Packers will find themselves in this season.

If Love were to miss extended playing time last season, the Packers might have been fine. If he were to miss extended playing time this season, the Packers might be doomed.

Related: Here are three questions about the receivers, offensive line, tight ends, running backs and quarterbacks. And on defense, it’s the safeties, cornerbacks, linebackers, defensive tackles and edge defenders.

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