Maybe it’s time to change quarterbacks for Green Bay.
Widespread reports Saturday appeared to confirm the Packers’ fears that Jordan Love is facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a leg injury Friday night.
The Packers started the season in exciting fashion in Brazil, with the NFL made its first trip to the South American country.
Losing 34-29 was bad enough for Matt LeFleur’s team – widely regarded as Super Bowl contenders this season — but an injury to the starting quarterback doubled the disappointment.
Although an ankle injury was initially ruled out, later on Saturday fears of a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury were put to rest.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport were the first to report the news that Love suffered a sprained MCL, an injury that will keep him out of action for between three and six weeks.
Love was involved in trying to lead a drive down the field that could have won the game for the Packers in the final 30 seconds of the contest.
As he struggled to get through the pocket, his leg twisted under the tacklers and footage later emerged that appeared to show his knee snapping.
While serious injuries appear to have been ruled out, a strained MCL will still leave the Packers without their star wide receiver, who signed a new four-year, $220 million contract in the offseason after one season as a starter.
This leaves the franchise with a dilemma at its core, as Love was essential to their plans.
The 25-year-old’s only backup is Malik Willis, who played the final snaps of the game in São Paulo but has only been with the team for a few days, after arriving in a trade with Tennessee Titans.
Green Bay returns to action next Sunday when they face Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field in Week 2 — but who the starting quarterback will be remains to be seen.
The option to trade for someone could be seen as a stretch, especially given an injury that could keep Love out for as few as three games.
Many observers felt that the quarterback cap was tight even after the Willis trade, and a veteran to bolster the roster was needed.
That now seems critical if the Packers are to keep their hopes alive in a competitive NFC North, where Detroit, Chicago and Minnesota may all have different hopes of a postseason run.
Sean Clifford is known around the team and was named to the practice squad before the Week 1 opener, but that’s about it on the depth chart.
The most obvious option open to Green Bay appears to be Ryan Tannehill, who is a free agent after leaving the Titans at the end of last season.
Not only does he have 12 years of experience in the league, but he is also well known to Willis from their time together in Tennessee, where they spent the last two seasons together.
Tannehill would be a capable replacement for Love in the short term and an experienced backup in the medium term — a vital component for a team chasing a Super Bowl berth.
The Packers were defeated in the Divisional Round last season by San Francisco 49ersand many have indicated that they will at least improve this year.
However, if they are without Love for any length of time without a quality replacement, they could be playing catch-up before the season even starts.
Free agents Desmond Ridder and Trevor Siemian also have starting experience, while P.J. Walker, C.J. Beathard and Nate Sudfeld are also without a team.
Tannehill would help now and help in the quest for the Super Bowl.
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