Coming into training camp in 2023, there were a few different positions on the Green Bay Packers that people were paying close attention to. Given the youthfulness of the entire roster, a few training camp battles were going to ensue to see who would sit atop the depth chart.
The one position a lot of people were keeping an eye on offensively was at tight end. Would one of the rookies in Luke Musgrave or Tucker Kraft sit atop the depth chart? Or would veteran Josiah Deguara hold them off?
Defensively, the safety position is where a lot of attention was given. The last line of defense is arguably the Packers’ weakest unit on the roster. Darnell Savage Jr., who was benched for a stretch in 2022, and his replacement, Rudy Ford, look to be the starters right now. But, Jonathan Owens could push for playing time as well.
While those battles will have a lot of eyes on them, the biggest training camp battle, in the opinion of Rob Demovsky of ESPN, comes at quarterback. Jordan Love is entrenched as the starter for 2023, but the No. 2 spot behind him remains up for grabs.
“It’s possible that the Packers’ No. 2 quarterback isn’t even on their roster yet. If neither rookie Sean Clifford nor ex-USFL MVP Alex McGough shows enough to warrant the job, general manager Brian Gutekunst could still consider bringing in a veteran. Carson Wentz is probably his best option in that scenario. But with Gutekunst’s penchant for keeping draft picks on the roster, it’s hard to imagine him not retaining Clifford. However, McGough has gotten more reps than the usual No. 4 QB in camp, which likely contributed to the Packers releasing Danny Etling on Sunday.”
Depending on how things shake out, it is entirely possible that the Packers head into the 2023 season with three quarterbacks on the roster for the first time in a long time. If Sean Clifford, a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, cannot win the backup job, it is hard to imagine the Packers cutting him.
That kind of wasted draft capital is not something any team likes to have. As suggested by Demovsky, the Packers could opt to sign a more experienced player behind Love. He mentioned Carson Wentz and Teddy Bridgewater is another option to keep an eye on as he has been linked to Green Bay this offseason.
Adding a seasoned veteran to be Love’s backup would be a good idea for the Packers. If something were to happen that Love had to miss an extended period of time, their chances of being competitive would also go out the window.
At a minimum, someone such as Wentz or Bridgewater would help keep the offense afloat in his absence. That same confidence level, at least right now, cannot be said for Clifford or McGough. While Love is going to get reps during the preseason games, the Packers backup quarterback spot will likely be determined by how the other options fare in those situations.
