The Green Bay Packers may not have room for Sean Clifford in their quarterbacks room anymore.
Even though Jordan Love is dealing with a thumb injury, Clifford was predicted to be released by the Packers after the preseason ends this weekend.
Clifford, who the Packers selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft from Penn State, has not thrown a pass in two seasons and has just two rushing attempts in his NFL career. The 27-year-old is just 3 for 8 for 25 yards and zero touchdowns this preseason.
Why Are The Packers Expected To Cut Sean Clifford?
Love is Green Bay’s franchise quarterback, since his four-year, $220 million contract kicked in this year, which means the Packers’ starting-QB is already accounted for.
But, according to Freddie Boston of Lombardi Ave., Clifford blew his chance to serve as the Packers’ backup to Love last preseason.
“A year ago, Sean Clifford took part in a quarterback battle that had no winner,” Boston wrote. “Neither he nor rookie Michael Pratt won the No. 2 job, with the Packers preferring to trade for Malik Willis. The move relegated Clifford to the practice squad.”
With Willis still on the roster as Love’s primary backup, Clifford is resigned to competing for the No. 3 spot with Green Bay, with unheralded rookie free agent Taylor Elgersma from Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.
“He is far from perfect, which isn’t surprising for an inexperienced rookie who played college football in Canada,” Boston wrote. “Not only is he adjusting to the speed of the NFL, but also a narrower field with different dimensions.
“Still, the Packers know what they have in Clifford in his third season. Elgersma has the potential to become a backup quarterback with some time to develop on the practice squad.”
Plus, dollars and cents — and Elgersma’s youth — could come into play. Releasing Clifford would cost the Packers nothing and save them $960,000 in cap space, more than the $840k they’d save from dropping Elgersma, especially since Elgersma is four years younger than Clifford and has more upside than the older QB.
“Elgersma has the talent to eventually become the No. 2 if Willis departs in free agency next offseason, and the Packers may bank on his potential,” Boston wrote.
Who Else Could The Packers Release?
The blog post was about the top-three cut candidates for the Packers, and in addition to Clifford, Boston named offensive lineman Jacob Monk and cornerback Micah Robinson as two players likely to be released before the cutdown date.
Monk, who like Clifford is a former fifth-round pick, has played just 10 games in a Packers uniform but is having a horrible preseason.
“Monk may have played his way off the roster entirely,” Boston said. “Per Pro Football Focus, he has allowed one sack, one hit, and five pressures in two preseason contests while also being called for three penalties.”
For Robinson, a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, it could be a numbers game, since the Packers already have at least five cornerbacks ahead of him on the roster.
“Robinson has had a quiet camp and preseason, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but he hasn’t stood out as a must-have on the 53-man roster,” Boston wrote. “The seventh-rounder is a perfect candidate to spend a season on the practice squad.”
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