Although the Green Bay Packers may be much better than the Denver Broncos, none of that is really going to matter in their second preseason games. As Denver tries to figure out if and when Bo Nix will overtake Jarrett Stidham on its depth chart, the same sort of thing could be happening in Titletown with its backup gig. That’s right! Michael Pratt might be good enough to overtake Sean Clifford soon.
Admittedly, Clifford looked pretty good in the Packers’ first preseason game vs. the Cleveland Browns last week. Then again, he has a finite ceiling as an NFL backup quarterback, highlighted by his good, but never great college career at Penn State that lasted for the better part of a decade. With Pratt, the seventh-round rookie out of Tulane certainly looked the part during his Packers’ preseason debut.
Again, Denver is probably not going to be much to write home about this year, especially during the preseason. So whatever the Packers do and don’t do vs. the Broncos is not going to change the world. What is important is for the Packers to continue to build off last year’s great first season with Jordan Love as their starting quarterback. It would be very important to get the right backup, though.
To me, the fact the Packers drafted Pratt a year after they drafted Clifford signifies their uncertainty.
Michael Pratt can take Sean Clifford’s backup job after preseason game
What really stands out to me is Pratt’s athleticism. Just because he starred at a Group of Five school should not dissuade you from what you see on the field of play. When was the last time Greenies football was any good? Yes, we have seen quarterbacks get drafted high like J.P. Losman and Patrick Ramsey, as well as Matt Forte flourish in the Chicago Bears backfield, but it had been a long time.
Clifford starred at traditional power Penn State, a team that should go 10-2 every year based on its schedule and the amount of talent that flocks to State College. What I like about him is he can get the plane on the runway, metaphorically speaking. However, I struggle to see him being the type of quarterback who can get the Packers a much-needed victory in a tough spot should Love go down.
And that is where I go back to Pratt. If he can show good command of Matt LaFleur’s offense, play with poise and make something happen when a play breaks down, then why would he not be considered for the Packers’ primary backup job? Some combination of Clifford playing poorly or Pratt wowing us could be enough to entice LaFleur and the rest of his Packers staff to make the change.
This backup battle may come down to the preseason battle, but we may see separation after Sunday.