The Green Bay Packers announced on Saturday that quarterback Jordan Love has been downgraded to doubtful for Sunday’s Week 2 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
With Love likely out, Malik Willis is expected to take over as starting quarterback for the 0-1 Packers. Sean Clifford has been elevated from the practice squad and will back up Willis.
Love will likely miss the Colts game after spraining the MCL in his left knee in Week 1’s loss in Brazil to the the Philadelphia Eagles. According to reports, his initial timetable to return was set at 3-6 weeks, but head coach Matt LaFleur said on Wednesday “it’s pretty open” regarding Love’s Week 2 status, and on Friday the team listed him as questionable on their injury report.
“He’s got to be cleared, we’ve got to feel like he can protect himself and he’s got to be confident enough to go out there and do that,” LaFleur said this week about the decision to play Love. “Until that happens, we’re not even going to think about that.”
According to The Athletic’s Diana Russini, Love will likely wear a brace on his knee when he returns to action.
Willis replaced Love for the final two plays of the Eagles game. He threw an incomplete pass and was sacked as the Packers attempted to score a touchdown from midfield in the game’s final seconds.
“I’m not sure you can compare those, honestly,” Willis said this week about starting. “Coming in as a rookie and not feeling all the way comfortable with NFL football in general, that’s different than coming into a different scheme. I mean, I had three different offenses the last three seasons in Tennessee. More than anything, just try to match the carryover and do your best to execute the way it’s called over here.”
Willis joined the Packers in late August via a trade from the Tennessee Titans. He previously played two seasons for Tennessee as a backup and occasional injury-replacement starter after the Titans selected him with a third-round draft pick in 2022 to back up Ryan Tannehill.
Willis appeared in eight games as a rookie, including three starts while Tannehill was injured. The Titans then drafted Will Levis in 2023 and installed him as their starter midseason. They signed Mason Rudolph this offseason to back Levis up, making Willis expendable.