The Green Bay Packers may have a mildly concerning quarterback issue brewing amid the latest Jordan Love news before Week 7’s game with the Detroit Lions.
The Packers officially added Love to their injury report with a new back injury ahead of Sunday afternoon’s game in Detroit and listed him as an estimated limited participant for their “jog-through” practice session on Wednesday, October 21.
Love played all 75 offensive snaps in the Packers’ 23-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in Week 6, but he did take three sacks during the matchup.
Love — who is on the injury report for the first time this season — will have two more practices to improve his practice participation before the Packers must decide whether to list him with an injury designation on their final injury report.
According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, though, Love said there is “no chance” he won’t play against the Lions despite dealing with back soreness.
Who is Packers’ Backup QB if Jordan Love Sits Out?
The Packers are still a long few days away from being anywhere close to potentially ruling out Love for Week 7’s road game against the Lions. Even so, it is worth examining their fallback plan at quarterback if Love’s injury holds him out.
Veteran Tyrod Taylor is the first-choice backup quarterback behind Love as the only other quarterback on the Packers’ 53-man roster. He has made 19 starts and played more than 4,200 offensive snaps since coming into the league in 2018, but he has only played two regular-season snaps for the Packers in garbage time against Chicago.
The Packers also have third-year quarterback Kedon Slovis on their practice squad.
Right now, little suggests the Packers are worried that Love won’t play against the Lions, but their roster moves at quarterback in the coming days could prove telling.
The Packers would need to add Slovis to their 53-man roster to have him available as their emergency third quarterback against the Lions. They could also just elevate him and make him active, but that would leave three active quarterbacks — unless they become certain Love won’t play.
If there are no moves, though, the chances of Love playing grow exponentially.
Packers List 4 Other Starters on Week 7 Injury Report
Love’s addition to the injury report raises a few eyebrows, but their quarterback is hardly the only starter managing an injury ahead of Week 7’s divisional matchup.
The Packers also listed four other starters on their first injury report, including wide receivers Christian Watson (ankle) and Matthew Golden (shoulder), cornerback Brandon Cisse (shoulder/neck) and left guard Aaron Banks (knee/toe).
Banks is not a new addition, but Cisse and the two wide receivers are. Cisse exited late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win over the Cowboys with an apparent shoulder injury, but Watson and Golden both finished the game without issue.
All four players were estimated limited participants for Wednesday’s walkthrough.
The Packers also have cornerback Benjamin St-Juste (hamstring), defensive tackle Anthony Campbell (ankle) and receivers Savion Williams (ankle) and Bo Melton (back) on the injury report — though all practiced except for Melton.
Defensive tackle Jordon Riley (Achilles) was also a limited participant as he continues to work through his 21-day practice window to return from injured reserve.
Packers Announce Jordan Love Injury News Before Lions Showdown