The Green Bay Packers released quarterback Danny Etling from the 90-man roster on Sunday, leaving the backup battle behind Jordan Love between fifth-round pick Sean Clifford and USFL MVP Alex McGough at this point of training camp.
Coach Matt LaFleur stressed the challenge of giving reps to four different quarterbacks. Etling became the odd man out following Saturday night’s “Family Night” practice at Lambeau Field.
Etling, 29, returned to the Packers in January of 2022. He spent the entire 2022 season as the No. 3 quarterback on the practice squad behind Aaron Rodgers and Love.
Clifford, a rookie out of Penn State, has impressed during training camp. The Packers also like the physical tools of McGough, a 2018 draft pick who revived his career in the USFL over the last two seasons.
The guess here is LaFleur and the Packers wanted to go into next week’s joint practice and preseason game in Cincinnati with only three quarterbacks on the roster, and McGough’s potential beat out Etling’s experience for the third spot.
Despite being a rookie, Clifford must now be viewed as the favorite to backup Love entering the 2023 season. In 2008, the Packers used seventh-round pick Matt Flynn as the primary backup behind Rodgers, then a first-year starter.
