The Green Bay Packers will have to find a new third-string quarterback after trading Kyle McCord to the Miami Dolphins for a 2028 sixth-round pick. The move leaves Jordan Love and Tyrod Taylor as the only quarterbacks on the team, and the Packers have made it clear they intend to keep just two on the 53-man roster with the third quarterback stashed on the practice squad.

The problem is that McCord filled that role throughout training camp and the preseason. Now he’s in Miami, and Green Bay needs to find a replacement through the open market.

The waiver wire caveat

There’s an important distinction to understand here. The Packers can’t claim players off waivers directly to the practice squad because waiver claims apply only to the active roster. If Green Bay wants to add a quarterback to the practice squad after the start of roster movement at 12 p.m. (CT) on Monday, those players need to have already cleared waivers or be street free agents.

So, let’s discuss some options the Packers could potentially sign to fill the practice squad vacancy, keeping that caveat in mind.

Players waived over the weekend

The most natural name is Adrian Martinez, who was waived by the San Francisco 49ers. Martinez knows a similar style of offensive system and had a decent performance throughout training camp. The 49ers waived him because they decided to keep Kurtis Rourke, the seventh-round pick from last year’s draft. San Francisco already has three quarterbacks, so Martinez never had a realistic shot to stick there. It might make more sense for him to serve as Green Bay’s QB3 instead.

Other waived quarterbacks who could potentially return to their original teams’ practice squads, but whom the Packers could try to fight for, are Luke Altmyer from the Detroit Lions and Jacob Clark from the Las Vegas Raiders, players who had some pre-draft contact with the Packers.

One name that stands out above the rest, though. Will Levis from the Tennessee Titans. If Levis clears waivers, he would be a strong option for Green Bay. The Packers have already shown the ability to develop a player the Titans couldn’t get anything out of in Malik Willis. Levis is a former second-round pick who has had a tough time in the NFL, but for a practice squad role, he has talent and a strong arm. Going through the Matt LaFleur quarterback school would certainly help his development.

Some veteran options who were also released and could be on the Packers’ radar include Shane Buechele from the Buffalo Bills, Bailey Zappe from the New York Jets, and Kyle Trask from the Carolina Panthers.

Players with prior Packers’ connections

The Packers also have a few quarterbacks they’ve already had contact with or rostered at some point. Desmond Ridder is a street free agent who spent significant time with Green Bay from last year into this season. He was released only when the Packers signed Tyrod Taylor.

Kyron Drones, an undrafted free agent, spent time with the Packers and played in their first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers before being waived. However, since the Packers chose to waive Jones instead of allowing him to play the final two preseason games, it’s unlikely they would want to bring him back.

The final name on this list is Seth Henigan, a player who went undrafted last year and spent parts of the 2025 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts. Henigan had a tryout with the Packers during training camp, so Green Bay has him on the radar as a potential option.

The Packers have multiple avenues to fill the practice squad quarterback spot. The key will be identifying which of these players offers the best combination of developmental upside, system familiarity, and availability once the waiver process clears on Monday.