Packers Moving Backup Quarterback to Wide Receiver

It looks like the Green Bay Packers are planning on having backup quarterback Alex McGough try his hand at wide receiver.

According to the team’s current roster, McGough is now listed as a receiver instead of a quarterback. The roster update appears to be made after the 2024 NFL Draft.

McGough has been a third-string QB for the Packers after a successful career in the USFL. Along with two USFL titles, he was named MVP in 2023 with the Birmingham Stallions.

The Packers likely feel confident with their other quarterback options, so now McGough will have to try and prove himself as a wide receiver to make the final 53-man roster.

Could Alex McGough Play Wide Receiver?

McGough never played receiver in college or the USFL. That doesn’t mean he won’t be able to, but it’ll be an uphill battle.

The good news for McGough is that he has a solid frame for a receiver. Listed at 6’3″ and 214 pounds, he has the frame to be an outside receiver. Unfortunately, the pre-draft athletic testing doesn’t bode well for McGough’s chances.

McGough ran the 40-yard dash in 4.62 seconds prior to going pro. The rest of his athletic testing also lines up with a player that would struggle to play the receiver position.

That being said, this wouldn’t be the first time the Packers tried McGough at a different position. The third-string quarterback got some work at tight end in practice last season. That move actually resulted in an injury for Jaire Alexander when the two players collided in the air.

The Packers seem to think that there’s some kind of non-quarterback role that McGough can play. However, given how much depth the team has at receiver for 2024, it doesn’t seem likely that he’ll be able to earn a spot on the 53-man roster with an outside shot at the practice squad.

Green Bay’s New Quarterback Competition

Jordan Love is the clear starter for the Packers. However, there will be a legitimate competition behind him for the second-string spot.

Sean Clifford is the incumbent backup. A fifth-round pick out of Penn State, Clifford served as Love’s QB2 during his rookie year in 2023. He showed a good handle for running an offense in college, and flashed some decent athletic ability to make plays with his legs.

However, there are legitimate limitations for Clifford as a passer. That’s tough to overcome at the NFL level, which might be why the Packers went after another QB in the draft.

The Packers took Michael Pratt out of Tulane in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. A four-year starter and three-time captain, Pratt led the Green Wave to some of their best seasons in program history.

Pratt isn’t as athletic as Clifford. He also doesn’t have a great arm. However, it’s his accuracy and touch on downfield throws that helps him overcome some of his deficiencies as a passer.

Fortunately for the Packers, there’s still plenty of time before they have to decided whether Pratt or Clifford will serve as the second-string QB in 2024.