With Jordan Love not practicing without a new contract, Matt LaFleur has been forced to make some last-minute adjustments to practice plans before the start of training camp. On Monday, LaFleur stated he had not learned that Love would not be practicing until Sunday, the day before the first practice.
When asked how the quarterback reps will be split in Love’s absence, LaFleur mentioned it would likely be a 50-50 split between Sean Clifford and Michael Pratt. Clifford, a 2023 fifth-round pick out of Penn State, was Love’s primary backup for the duration of last season. He appeared in just two games as a rookie, attempting one pass. The Packers then used a seventh-round pick on Pratt this offseason to fill out the quarterback room and compete with Clifford. Pratt totaled 118 touchdowns over 44 career starts at Tulane.
However, the question arose about how long they can operate with just two quarterbacks. The team has traditionally rostered at least three quarterbacks during training camp.
“That’s a great question,” LaFleur responded. “Obviously, we’re hopeful that we’ll get something done (with Love) sooner than later, but that’s something we’re going to have to adjust on the fly.”
Fortunately, they have a little bit of time before they will really start to miss Love. The first few days of training camp are essentially a glorified minicamp since players won’t be in pads. Of course, LaFleur would prefer to have his starting quarterback out there, but he is not overly concerned about him sitting out for a short period knowing that he will still be with the team on the practice field and in meetings.
“I know how he prepares, so I’m not overly concerned about that,” said LaFleur. “He’s going to do everything he can to get the mental reps. Obviously, physical reps are really what’s important.”
GM Brian Gutekunst mentioned on Monday that he thinks the team and Love are “close” on a new deal, but didn’t rule out bringing in another arm if the negotiation takes longer than expected. Green Bay is certainly motivated to get something done so Love doesn’t miss too much practice time.