Holy cow, has anyone else been watching the Packers’ backup QB battle? Kyle McCord has absolutely torched the preseason, clearly outplaying veteran Tyrod Taylor, and it’s creating a wild situation in Green Bay right now. This kid, McCord, has been straight-up lights out, and it’s forcing some tough questions for the Packers front office given the money they’ve already sunk into Taylor.
McCord’s Preseason Surge Is Undeniable
You can’t deny what McCord is doing on the field. The guy has looked incredible in the preseason, even ranking sixth in the entire NFL in passing yards right now with 220. Yeah, Kenny Pickett of Carolina is ahead of him, but let’s be real, Pickett got an extra game in the Hall of Fame Classic before Week 1 and 2 of the preseason even started! McCord’s stats are legit, man: he’s gone 24 for 35, hitting a crazy 69 percent of his passes for 220 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per attempt. And he’s not just checking it down either, he’s orchestrated three two-minute drills at the end of first halves. That takes poise, especially for a guy who spent his rookie year on the Eagles’ practice squad. Meanwhile, Tyrod Taylor? The word is he’s had some bad throws, looking shaky against both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos. It just hasn’t looked good at all, and everyone with eyes can see it.
The Tyrod Taylor Contract Mess
Now, here’s where it gets complicated for Green Bay. They swapped out Desmond Ridder for Tyrod Taylor just three days after signing Kyron Drones, who got cut after one Week 1 preseason game where he was sacked three times on four dropbacks. Taylor signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal, with another $2.5 million in incentives for playing time, regular-season wins, and a playoff berth with him under center. Most of those incentives are probably not even gonna be earned. Here’s the kicker: if the Packers cut Taylor right now, they’d still get charged $700,000 on the salary cap this year, compared to his current cap hit of $2.9 million. His only guaranteed money was a $700,000 signing bonus. But if Taylor makes that Week 1 roster as a vested veteran, then his $1.3 million base salary becomes fully guaranteed for the year. That means the Packers would be on the hook for it, no matter what they do later. This isn’t just a backup QB battle, it’s a financial tightrope walk!
This whole situation is a lightning rod, especially after the carousel they’ve had at backup QB. Malik Willis, last year’s backup, bounced to the Miami Dolphins for a three-year, $67.5 million deal, which is sweet because it’ll net the Packers a third-round compensatory pick in 2027. Then there was Clayton Tune, who honestly got left for dead in the junior varsity game against the Minnesota Vikings to end the 2025 season. He was replaced by Desmond Ridder, who they signed on New Year’s Eve, for the playoffs. After that playoff loss to the Bears, they signed Ridder and McCord to reserve/futures contracts. The QBs have been a revolving door, and now, with McCord lighting it up and Taylor’s contract hanging over them, the Packers have a massive decision to make before Week 1. This could define their depth for the whole season, so every snap matters from here on out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
Leave a Reply