The Green Bay Packers cannot afford to just wait out the stalemate with the New York Jets in their Aaron Rodgers trade talks. They are operating under the notion that their franchise legend will be headed to the Meadowlands at some point, and are thus moving forward to address the quarterback depth they will surely need once a deal is finalized.
Penn State QB Sean Clifford will be making a pre-NFL Draft top 30 visit to the Packers on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky. The four-year starter is expected to be a mid or late-round pick, but his experience in high-profile action as well as his strong pocket presence could make him a welcome addition to the depth chart.
Besides Rodgers and projected starter Jordan Love, the only other signal caller Green bay has is Danny Etling, who is signed under a reserve/future contract. Clifford threw for 2,822 passing yards and 24 touchdowns on a 64.4 completion percentage last season. His shining moment was in the 2023 Rose Bowl, where he led Penn State to a 35-21 victory over Utah. Clifford's dissection of the Utes earned him the prestigious game's MVP honors.
Of course, there are some drawbacks. Accuracy can be a problem, and the game sometimes appears to move too fast for him. However, Clifford is battle-tested at 24 years old and could present Love with a decent test in Training Camp. It would behoove the Packers to light a fire under Rodgers' successor, given that the starting job has always been presumed to be Love's birthright since he was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
There are many things that could be subject to change in this transitional offseason for Green Bay, but the organization's mindset on Aaron Rodgers being traded remains unquestioned.
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