Even though the Green Bay Packers have already clinched a playoff berth, there’s little reason to believe they’re feeling especially comfortable right now.
Green Bay didn’t do much to lock up what will be the No. 7 seed in the NFC. The Packers have lost three straight games dating back to Week 15. It wasn’t until the Detroit Lions fell 23-10 to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17 that Green Bay officially punched its postseason ticket.
Still, neither the Packers nor their fans will complain. Other teams — including the Lions, who were the No. 1 seed in last year’s playoffs — would gladly trade places rather than head home after the regular-season finale. For Green Bay, though, the focus now shifts to getting healthy, starting at quarterback.
The Packers have been without starting quarterback Jordan Love since he suffered a concussion in the second quarter of their Week 16 game against the Chicago Bears. Backup Malik Willis has filled in admirably, even though the team has gone 0-2 during that stretch.
However, Willis hasn’t been fully healthy either. He’s been dealing with a right shoulder issue suffered against the Bears, one that lingered late into last week’s loss to the Ravens. With uncertainty surrounding both quarterbacks, Green Bay was left with little choice but to make a move ahead of its regular-season finale against Minnesota.
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With Love still in concussion protocol and Willis nursing a shoulder injury — combined with the broader injury issues the Packers have faced recently — Green Bay added another quarterback on December 31. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Packers signed Desmond Ridder to the practice squad, though there’s a strong chance he could be elevated.
“With Jordan Love and Malik Willis dealing with injuries and Green Bay locked into the No. 7 seed, Ridder could be elevated for Sunday’s game vs. Minnesota,” Pelissero wrote.
Ridder was a third-round pick (No. 74 overall) by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent two seasons in Atlanta before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals, where he was later released and re-signed to the practice squad. Since then, he’s taken on a journeyman role, spending time on the practice squads of the Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals and Vikings.
Now with Green Bay, Ridder is joining his third team of the 2025 season.
Ridder has appeared in 25 NFL games, making 18 starts, and owns an 8-10 record. His most extensive action came in 2023, when he started 13 games for the Falcons and finished 6-7 while throwing for 2,836 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His most recent appearance came with the Raiders on January 1, 2025, against the Los Angeles Chargers, where he completed one of two passes for 11 yards.
Matt LaFleur Comments On Adding Desmond Ridder
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur addressed the signing while speaking to reporters on December 31, explaining why Ridder made sense as a late-season addition.
“Luckily for us, he’s had experience in similar systems,” LaFleur said, via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.
LaFleur pointed specifically to Ridder’s familiarity with Packers assistant Luke Getsy (former Raiders offensive coordinator in 2024), as well as former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.
Demovsky also reported that Love remains in concussion protocol, though he is expected to practice, while Willis will be limited. With so much uncertainty at quarterback heading into Week 18, Ridder’s arrival provides Green Bay with some much-needed insurance at a critical moment.
Packers Sign Former Third-Round Pick QB Amid Jordan Love, Malik Willis Uncertainty