For the past couple of years, the Green Bay Packers rostered one of the best backup quarterbacks in the game. Unfortunately for them, other teams got to watch Malik Willis play multiple times, resulting in his signing a two-year, $71 million contract with the Miami Dolphins in free agency.
Willis earned the right to lead his own team, but that has left the Packers in a less-than-optimal situation with their current quarterback room. As things stand, head coach Matt LaFleur only has Desmond Ridder and Kyle McCord as insurance behind Jordan Love. Ridder joined the team in December but didn't play a snap, while McCord was signed to a futures contract in January.
With neither addition being a foolproof QB2 option, the Packers can't settle for the status quo and must consider adding another arm before they get too deep into the offseason.
Packers' Can't Settle for Current Backup QB Situation
The Philadelphia Eagles took McCord out of Syracuse in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft. He spent most of the season on the practice squad before making his way to Wisconsin, and he has yet to throw a single pass in a regular-season game. He was always known for being an accurate and cerebral passer, but he doesn't have the arm talent or athleticism to be a difference-maker at the next level.
Ridder, on the other hand, is already with his sixth organization after entering the league as a third-round pick in 2022. He's started games for the Atlanta Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders, so he does have extensive experience, but the results have left plenty to be desired. So far, he's tossed 16 touchdowns against 14 interceptions, and his erratic decision-making has consistently led him to sacks and mental miscues.
The Packers obviously expect that Love will be healthy, but there are no guarantees in football. Everybody's one snap away from getting hurt, and Love has already missed time (four games in the last two seasons). The NFC North is absolutely brutal, and every single game is crucial.
There aren't many feasible options in free agency. Kirk Cousins is an obvious fit, but he may want to hold out in case someone gets hurt and he gets another opportunity to start. The same goes for veterans like Russell Wilson or Jimmy Garoppolo. Josh Dobbs might be a seamless fit after his release from the New England Patriots, given his youth and experience as a journeyman backup.
Let's not even consider a potential Aaron Rodgers reunion.
As for the NFL Draft, this isn't the deepest class, but the Packers might want to roll the dice on older prospects like Miami's Carson Beck or high-upside guys like Penn State's Drew Allar in the mid rounds. They can also wait to see which undrafted options are lying around in the fallout.
Regardless, it's clear that the Packers can't enter the 2026 season just one snap away from needing to start McCord or Ridder. Whether through the draft or free agency (or even a trade), general manager Brian Gutekunst must come up with a better contingency plan.