The Green Bay Packers will wrap up the 2025 preseason slate on Saturday afternoon against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field. For some fringe veterans on the bubble and roster, it will be their last chance to prove to head coach Matt LaFleur and the rest of the coaching staff that they belong on the 53-man roster.
That being said, Green Bay fans are keeping an eye on a few position battles, including at wide receiver (loaded with depth) and at the No. 3 quarterback spot. This time last year, Green Bay didn’t have a backup QB on its roster.
Thankfully, the Packers solved that problem with the acquisition of Malik Willis. On the flip side, Green Bay cut ties with former fifth-round pick Sean Clifford, but re-signed him to the practice squad, making him the de facto QB3.
Fast forward several months, and Clifford finds himself in a similar situation again. This time, he’s competing against rookie quarterback Taylor Elgersma, whom the Packers signed after their rookie minicamp.
One would expect that Clifford should have the inside track over Elgersma, but that isn’t the case, which doesn’t bode well ahead of cutdown day.
Packers QB Sean Clifford on Thin Ice Ahead of Preseason Finale
This preseason, Clifford hasn’t put up great numbers, which is not good for someone looking to keep his spot in Green Bay.
The former Penn State standout completed 2-of-4 passes for 14 yards in the preseason opener, but the Packers' offense struggled no matter who was under center. Elgersma completed 3-of-4 passes for 24 yards in his first NFL game.
However, in Green Bay’s second preseason game against the Colts, it was Elgersma who got into the game before Clifford, working with the third-team offense.
The Canadian QB went 7-for-11 with 109 yards, while Clifford was a mediocre 1-for-4 with 11 yards, but made plays with his legs (19 yards and a touchdown on three carries). In fact, he scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:31 left in the game.
FOR THE LEAD!! pic.twitter.com/VLLEbG7Uak
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 16, 2025
Even if Clifford's play improves Saturday against the Seahawks, it might not be enough to keep him around. Elgersma has much better upside as a passer, which leaves more room for Green Bay to develop.
Clifford, at this point, might’ve reached his ceiling, which wasn’t necessarily high to begin with, coming out of Penn State. Most people were surprised that he got drafted, let alone by Green Bay.
If push comes to shove, the Packers would rather risk losing Clifford than Elgersma, who would not make it through waivers. With what Elgersma has shown during the predraft process and now in the preseason, Clifford will likely be playing elsewhere in 2025.