With Jordan Love Questionable, Packers Make Move at Quarterback

For the second consecutive week, the Green Bay Packers have made the predictable move at quarterback with Sean Clifford elevated from the practice squad for Sunday at the Titans.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Sean Clifford fires a pass alongside Jordan Love during OTAs in May. / Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

GREEN BAY, Wis. – With star Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love questionable for a second consecutive week, the team once again is elevating Sean Clifford from the practice squad to the gameday roster for Sunday at the Tennessee Titans.

It was a predictable move and doesn’t necessarily have any bearing on Love’s availability for the game. Even if Love plays through a sprained MCL while wearing a brace on his left knee, the Packers would need some insurance.

(Update: Malik Willis will start.)

According to NFL Network, Malik Willis is expected to start for the #Packers tomorrow at the #Titans. ⬇️https://t.co/odDgYKAa9U

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 22, 2024

The Packers sent an updated injury report on Saturday. It is worth noting it included the addition of kicker Brayden Narveson (foot) but did not change the status of Love, as was the case last week, when he was downgraded to doubtful when Clifford was elevated.

As a fifth-round draft pick last year, Clifford served as Love’s season-long backup. However, Clifford seemed to backtrack this training camp. With general manager Brian Gutekunst unhappy with the development of Clifford and seventh-round rookie Michael Pratt, he released both players and traded for Malik Willis.

A day later, Clifford was signed to the practice squad.

“He’s handled it well,” quarterbacks coach Tom Clements said this week. “When the final cuts came and he was told what was going to happen, he said, obviously, if he’d have been picked up by another team he would have gone, but he said if not he wanted to be back here because he thought this was a good situation for him and he was very enthused about coming back.

“He’s worked hard and he’s tried to work on the things that we told him we needed to see when he’s doing the scout-team reps, so he’s been great.”

Players can be elevated from the practice squad three times before they must be signed to the 53. This will be Clifford’s second elevation.

Love practiced all week as limited participation. Coach Matt LaFleur said the team is “working through” Love being cleared by the medical staff.

“I think there’s definitely a lot that’s up to him,” LaFleur said of the decision. “You don’t want to put somebody in that position but, certainly, he’s doing everything in his power. He wants to be out there more than anybody. But we’ll work through it. We’ll give it up to gametime and we’ll see where we’re at.”

With a noon kickoff, inactives must be declared by 10:30 a.m.

What more does LaFleur need to see before making a decision?

“There’s nothing more to see,” LaFleur said. “We put it everything out there.”

If Love isn’t cleared or doesn’t feel comfortable playing, Willis will start for a second consecutive week.

In the team’s run-heavy game plan last week against the Colts, he was 12-of-14 passing, including 7-of-8 on third down.

“I’m very proud,” Love said. “I think offensively we played really well. The O-line dominated all game, the backs did a really good job, and it takes everybody. The tight ends, the receivers blocking, doing their job, the run game was on point.

“I think Malik did a great job. I think what we did last week gives everybody more confidence going forward if I’m not cleared this week. So, I love that. I love that we got the ‘dub’ and it’s a big confidence boost moving forward into this next week.

In a rather incredible circle-of-life quarterback reality:

- At Penn State, Clifford beat out Will Levis, so Levis transferred to Kentucky.

- After a promising couple seasons at Kentucky, the Titans drafted Levis in the second round in 2023.

- Levis beat out Willis, who was traded to the Packers last month.

- Willis rather than Clifford is the Packers’ backup.

“I could care less, man,” Willis said of wanting to prove something to the Titans on Sunday. “I think I got paid the whole time I was there. I’m more than blessed for the opportunities given me. They brought me into this league, whether those guys are there or not. That organization, they took a shot on me. They did a great job by me.”

More Green Bay Packers News

The #Packers' two most important players on offense on Sunday could be:

Jayden Reed, who attracts defenders like a moth to a flame. https://t.co/kOWjlAG5yi

Josh Jacobs, whose ball-handling history is pretty strong but has fumbled twice this year.https://t.co/sWhM9KExM4

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 21, 2024

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