The Green Bay Packers answered one of their biggest remaining offensive depth questions Monday. The team signed veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor to serve as the team’s backup quarterback during the 2026 NFL season.
That move gave the team five quarterbacks. So, it wasn’t shocking that the Packers elected to move on from one of the other three signal-callers, besides Jordan Love, on their roster.
But interestingly, the Packers chose to cut the most experienced quarterback of the three — Desmond Ridder.
“The Packers are released QB Desmond Ridder, per source,” reported NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on X.
With Ridder’s release, the Packers kept 2025 sixth-round quarterback Kyle McCord and undrafted rookie Kyron Drones. Neither signal-caller has played in the NFL.
Ridder is 8-10 as an NFL starter in his career. Over 25 appearances overall, he has completed 63.6% of his passes for 4,002 yards with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Packers Cut Desmond Ridder After Signing Tyrod Taylor: Reports
Green Bay signing a new backup quarterback was not super surprising. Pundits linked the Packers to backup quarterback options starting early in free agency.
Last year’s backup, Malik Willis, signed with the Miami Dolphins in March. Because of his strong play in a couple appearances last season, Willis signed a 3-year, $67.5 million deal with Miami.
The Packers coming to terms with Taylor wasn’t very surprising either. Just a few days before Green Bay added Taylor, Fansided’s Lombardi Avenue’s Lior Lampert proposed the Packers sign the veteran signal-caller.
“The 36-year-old can step in, command the huddle, and keep the machine running smoothly if Love isn’t able to suit up for the Packers,” wrote Lampert.
But the Packers cutting the quarterback who was likely the front runner to be the team’s backup before rookie minicamp is at least moderately surprising. Ridder would be a quality QB3 behind Love and Taylor.
Instead of Ridder, though, the Packers elected to keep their developmental quarterbacks.
While surprising, the move makes sense. Ridder appears to be destined to be a journeyman QB2 or QB3 in the league. McCord and Drones face long odds to ever make an NFL impact. But they have more upside than Ridder at this point in their careers.
Kyle McCord, Kyron Drones to Compete for QB3
With Taylor now in the fold, there’s a lot less uncertainly in the Packers quarterback room.
Obviously, Love is the team’s starter. Taylor now arrives as the clear-cut backup.
Taylor has spent 15 years in the NFL. He’s appeared in 100 games, starting 62 of them, going 29-31-1 as a starter.
In 2015, Taylor earned a Pro Bowl nomination with the Buffalo Bills. He helped end the franchise’s playoff drought during the 2017 campaign.
With his addition, the Packers no longer have a backup quarterback battle set for training camp. Instead, McCord and Drones will compete for the final roster spot behind center.
McCord is in his first season with the Packers. He told The Athletic’s Matt Scheidman at the team’s rookie minicamp that he joined Green Bay to play and learn from head coach Matt LaFleur.
The Philadelphia Eagles selected McCord at No. 181 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
McCord played in college at Ohio State and Syracuse. In one season at Syracuse during 2024, he completed 66% of his passes for 4,779 yards with 34 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Drones signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 NFL Draft. Drones completed 56.5% of his passes for 1,919 passing yards at Virginia Tech last season. He also had 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Whichever quarterback doesn’t win the QB3 job could be a candidate for the Packers practice squad to begin the regular season.
Packers Make Surprise Cut After Signing QB Tyrod Taylor: Report