Packers Sign New Quarterback to Practice Squad

GREEN BAY, Wis. – At the end of training camp in 2024, the Green Bay Packers jettisoned drafted quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt and signed Malik Willis to be Jordan Love’s backup.

At the end of training camp in 2025, history is sort of repeating itself. The Packers on Tuesday released Sean Clifford and Taylor Elgersma, who competed for a roster spot throughout camp. Instead of re-signing one or the other to the practice squad, a source on Wednesday said they are signing former University of Houston star Clayton Tune to the practice squad.

Tune was a fifth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. He was released on Monday and got through waivers on Wednesday.

Sean Clifford or Taylor Elgersma? Or ...https://t.co/ReR7FFygHY
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 27, 2025

“I think I’m the best quarterback in this class,” Tune told reporters after being drafted.

Tune played in 13 games in two seasons, though most of his action on offense came as a rookie, when he started one game and went 12-of-21 passing for just 62 yards with two interceptions and a 22.5 rating. The start came against the Browns; the Cardinals lost 27-0 and his passer rating was 20.8.

This preseason, though, Tune completed 30-of-49 passes (61.2 percent) for 186 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Turning drops into completions, he would have completed 78.6 percent, according to PFF. He added nine carries for 53 yards.

The Cardinals opted to go with a veteran quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, to be Kyler Murray’s backup.

Clifford was a fifth-round pick in 2023 but failed to progress after being Love’s primary backup as a rookie. Elgersma has the arm talent but apparently didn’t develop quickly enough after playing his college ball in his native Canada.

“Somebody who can command the offense, and want somebody that you can develop into, hopefully, a guy that can play for you someday,” coach Matt LaFleur said when asked what he was looking for in a third quarterback. “You want to see that level of consistency within every position but, in particular, the quarterback position that’s so critical to the success of the offense. So, I think that’s what we’re trying to hunt.”

The hunt continues with Tune.

At 6-foot-2 5/8, 220 pounds and 4.64 speed in the 40, Tune has the physical traits the Packers like at the position.

“If you look at my body of work, the effect that I have on my team that I play on, I elevate everyone around me,” he said after being drafted. “I’m a natural leader, people follow me and see the work that I’m putting in and the mindset that I have, and they want to follow suit.

“I have that no-flinch mentality when things get going tough. Those are some of the intangible things, and then being able to make every throw on the field, being able to make plays off-schedule and be more mobile than people realize.”

While it didn’t work out in Arizona, Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannnon thought Tune could be a perfect backup quarterback.

“We have that guy on our team right now,” Gannon said in December 2023. “I would say what jumps out to me is his brain, because when you’re one play away from going in the game and taking minimal rep – really game-plan-specific reps with four days – you’ve got to be pretty in tune to do that.

“That’s probably what I would say because those guys don’t get a lot of reps and then to jump in the game and play winning football for you, that’s hard to do. There’s not a lot of positions that – and you have to have them all that do that, but at that position specifically talking to the quarterback, there’s so much on his plate mentally and physically to be able to operate in a level that you can win a game with is hard.”

A three-year captain and all-American Athletic Conference first-team selection in 2022, when he was teammates with Packers receiver Matthew Golden, Tune finished third in the nation with 40 passing touchdowns and fifth with 313.4 passing yards per game. For his career, he set an AAC record with 119 total touchdowns; his 104 passing touchdowns and 119 total touchdowns rank second in Cougars history.

Over the final eight games, he threw for 2,873 yards (359.1 per game) with 31 touchdowns. That includes the SMU game in which he threw for 527 yards and ran for another 111.

The numbers were posted in a Mike Leach-style offense.

“I'm sure there is (a widespread stigma), but I don't really see it that way,” Tune said. “I know there are people out there that may say, ‘Oh, they’re a system quarterback' or this and that, but I don't look at it that way. Not at all.”

Tune’s older brother played quarterback at North Texas. His father was a Motocross racer. His great-great uncle, Jimmy Lawrence, was the Cardinals’ first-ever draft pick in 1936. After three-plus seasons with the Chicago Cardinals, he spent part of the 1939 season with the Packers, who won the NFL championship.

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