As the Green Bay Packers prepare for Sunday afternoon's clash with the Carolina Panthers, it's worth checking in on what certain ex-Packers are up to. After all, the 2025 NFL season has reached its halfway point, and a lot of former Green Bay players' current situations are much different from what they were compared to at the start of the campaign, for better or for worse.
For instance, former Packers quarterback Sean Clifford was given a surprise promotion on Friday. With veteran QB Joe Flacco battling through a shoulder injury that's left him questionable for Week 9, the Cincinnati Bengals are promoting Clifford from their practice squad to the active roster, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter.
Ex-Packer Sean Clifford Promoted to Bengals' Active Roster on Sunday
It'll be interesting to see if Clifford finds himself in a playing role this weekend. The former Penn State signal-caller has only made two regular-season appearances since getting drafted 149th overall by the Packers in 2023, with both of those instances coming in garbage time during his rookie season. Perhaps he'll have some rust that needs to be shaken off.
Nevertheless, while nothing is guaranteed, there's a good chance that Clifford could start on Sunday, or at least see some snaps. For starters, Flacco is just a few months away from turning 41 years old, and no one would blame him if he didn't want to play through a shoulder injury if he isn't 100%. He's played well in Joe Burrow's absence, and the last thing the Bengals want is for Flacco's injury to get tweaked and then lose him for the season.
And while QB2 Jake Browning has already started three games this season, it isn't as if Cincinnati fans are begging to see him again. Browning recorded an abysmal 70.5 passer rating with eight interceptions to start the season, which is why the Bengals went out to acquire Flacco from the Browns.
In other words, if the Bengals couldn't trust Browning back then, they likely can't now, opening the door for Clifford to make his first regular-season start. He made three appearances with the Packers this past preseason, going 9-of-17 in the pocket for just 44 passing yards and a 58.7 passer rating. It can only go up from there, right?
More about Clifford's outlook will be revealed in the coming days, leaving Packers fans curious to know if their former QB will see any playing time. He might not get any better opportunities than this to earn a key role in Cincinnati. Therefore, he must make the most of his opportunities, regardless of how big or small they are.