Michael Pratt brings intriguing competition to the Packers' quarterback room
The Green Bay Packers were open to draft a quarterback last April, but the decision to take Michael Pratt was much more circumstantial than anything else. After all, the quarterback had a fourth-round grade, and before the draft it wasn't realistic to expect he would fell so much. But he did, and general manager Brian […]
The Green Bay Packers were open to draft a quarterback last April, but the decision to take Michael Pratt was much more circumstantial than anything else. After all, the quarterback had a fourth-round grade, and before the draft it wasn't realistic to expect he would fell so much.
But he did, and general manager Brian Gutekunst was able to take him with the 245th overall pick, in the seventh round.
As a prospect, though, he was widely considered to be better than Sean Clifford, a quarterback the Packers used a fifth-round pick on in last year's draft. With that in mind, Pratt has a clear path to be an immediate backup to Jordan Love.
"Perhaps, the biggest surprise fall in the entire draft," wrote Jim Nagy, Senior Bowl Executive Director. "Most teams we spoke with had 3rd/4th grades. Elevated Tulane program. Plays QB position well. Accurate touch thrower, athletic enough to escape, and extremely tough. Had a higher grade on Pratt than Clifford a year ago. Solid No. 2 floor and wouldn't shock us if he eventually became a starter in the right situation. Might be old-school Ron Wolf flip-for-higher-pick in a few years."
Even head coach Matt LaFleur was surprised when they were able to take Pratt so late in the draft. The early results in the offseason program seem to reinforce that perception.
"He definitely is a tough, fearless thrower," LaFleur said. "That's a prerequisite of the position. You've got to be able to stand in there & throw in muddy pockets, throw in the face of pressure"
QB2 competition
Sean Clifford threw four interceptions (all of them to Robert Rochell) in two days during mandatory minicamp. That's just practice, and it won't erase the good things Clifford had done as a rookie. But he hadn't played so well to secure the backup job, and now Pratt brings a competition element the Packers didn't have in 2023.
Andy Herman, who covers the Packers for Packer Report and Pack a Day Podcast, was impressed by Pratt's ability to manage the offense — something particularly important for a seventh-round rookie.
With pads, training camp and the preseason will bring a new experience for Michael Pratt. But the first steps have been promising, and it seems like the Packers found a solid developmental passer once again.
Packers fulfill promise and draft developmental quarterback in the seventh round of the NFL Draft
Green Bay selected Michael Pratt, from Tulane
