The Green Bay Packers enter 2026 training camp with a quarterback room that has undergone significant change since last season. Jordan Love remains the established franchise starter, but the backup picture behind him features new faces after Malik Willis signed with the Miami Dolphins in free agency. The Packers also moved on from Desmond Ridder, who had already replaced Clayton Tune on the roster.

Green Bay added veteran Tyrod Taylor and two developmental passers in Kyle McCord and Kyron Drones. As the Packers open camp on Wednesday, the quarterback position provides a useful starting point for a full positional breakdown of the roster.

Jordan Love’s ascending trajectory

Love is the centerpiece. He took a massive step forward last season, finishing second in adjusted EPA per play and seventh in success rate among qualifying quarterbacks. Those numbers put him among the most effective and efficient passers in football. If Love can maintain that ascending trajectory, he has a legitimate case to become one of the best quarterbacks in the sport.

The Packers couldn’t be more satisfied with his development since he took over as the starter in 2023, and the offense runs through him completely.

Replacing Malik Willis

Behind Love, the situation changed considerably. Willis was arguably the best backup quarterback in football last season. The Packers acquired him for a seventh-round pick in 2024, and he delivered 11 game appearances. Last year, he had an 85.7 completion percentage, three touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 145.5 passer rating. He added value on the ground with 5.6 yards per rushing attempt and two rushing touchdowns.

Willis parlayed that production into a three-year, $67.5 million deal with the Dolphins to be their starter. That contract made him too expensive for Green Bay to retain, so the Packers pivoted.

Green Bay signed veteran backup Tyrod Taylor as the direct replacement. Taylor has started 61 games across his NFL career, and the idea behind the signing is clear: his veteran presence and football knowledge can help Love on a weekly basis, even if Taylor’s ceiling as a passer isn’t as high as Willis’.

Taylor started four games for the New York Jets last season with a 72.9 passer rating, five touchdowns, and five interceptions. The year before, however, he had two appearances for the Jets with three touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 128.6 passer rating in 2024. The Packers are banking on his experience and the belief that a more seasoned backup can serve as both an emergency starter and a genuine resource for Love when the starter is healthy.

Developmental competition

Two additional quarterbacks round out the room. Kyle McCord, a sixth-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles last year, spent his entire rookie season on Philadelphia’s practice squad before the Packers signed him to a futures contract in January. At 6-3, 218 pounds, McCord is a developmental prospect Green Bay wants to evaluate throughout camp and preseason.

The other option is undrafted rookie Kyron Drones, who spent his first two college seasons at Baylor before playing the last three years at Virginia Tech. Drones has a dual-threat style reminiscent of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. He possesses the physical tools to be an effective passer, but his processing ability needs refinement. He is, however, an athletic and competitive player.

Both McCord and Drones are expected to see heavy action in preseason games. They will compete for a practice squad spot, and if one of them can demonstrate real growth during the exhibition slate, a third quarterback spot on the 53-man roster is not totally out of the question.

The Packers’ quarterback room is less proven behind Love than it was a year ago. That’s the trade-off when a backup plays well enough to earn a starting job elsewhere. Green Bay’s bet is that Taylor’s experience and the developmental upside of McCord and Drones can collectively fill the void Willis left behind.