3 emergency Malik Willis replacements the Packers have at their disposal

No NFL team is really ever prepared to lose their franchise quarterback in Week 1. The Packers are no different. They did the best they could to anticipate this scenario by trading for Malik Willis in the preseason, but the options are scarce behind the untested quarterback if he flames out against the Colts.

Swinging a trade for a veteran could be an option for Green Bay, but the only signal-callers available in that category are massively overpaid by their current teams. Parting with meaninful draft assets to bring in another untested option to compete with Willis does not make sense for the team's long-term roster planning.

Signing a free agent or player off another team's practice squad would be much simpler, but any talented quarterback that isn't on an active roster remains unsigned for a reason. They might represent better options than Willis but each player has big blemishes that might give the Packers pause.

The options available to Green Bay aren't great at the moment, but these three signal-callers might be decent emergency options in the event that Willis can't get the team moving on Sunday.

3. Sean Clifford

Sean Clifford will likely be the team's backup quarterback against Indianapolis this week which is enough to earn him a spot on this list. Green Bay had him stashed away on the practice squad just in case an injury to either Jordan Love or Willis arose. They did not want to press him into action but he's a reasonable emergency alternative to Willis.

The problem with Clifford is that he possesses even less game experience than Willis. He's only played in two NFL games and interestingly, has negative yards passing for his career. As safely as the Packers might be tempted to play with Willis, they would likely be even more conservative with Clifford under center.

The most likely outcome for Clifford is that he remains glued to bench this week unless Willis suffers an injury or is entirely unplayable. He might come on in relief but the Packers will look elswhere if they need another quarterback to start a game this season.

2. Desmond Ridder

Desmond Ridder didn't light the NFL ablaze for the Falcons last year but he did earn valuable starting experience in Atlanta. Many NFL observers thought he'd land a backup job after the Falcons let him go, but was only able to find a spot on the Cardinals' practice squad.

That means the Packers can sign him to the active roster any time they please. He's certainly a better long-term option than Clifford, but it's also clear the Packers preferred Willis to him initially. One bad performance by Willis against Indianapolis could change the organization's thinking.

Ridder's biggest issue with the Falcons in 2023 was protecting the football. He threw 12 interceptions against just 14 touchdowns and many of his turnovers showcased a really poor ability to read coverages down the field. That is likely the reason many teams passed on the chance to sign him on the cheap after he was jettisoned by Atlanta.

Ridder is far from a perfect solution for the Packers, but their strong ground game might limit his need to read complex coverages down the field. That would improve his efficiency and make him a reasonable alternative to Willis in future weeks.

1. Ryan Tannehill

It's no common for signing a veteran, free-agent quarterback is deemed to be the most exciting option by a team's fan base. That's the case with Ryan Tannehill and the Packers at the moment. Loads of fans who call Lambeau Field home are intrigued with the idea of signing the former Tennessee starter.

The problem with Tannehill is that he suffered a significant injury in the middle of last year and hasn't played a down of NFL football since. It's imposslbe to know how healthy he is or isn't at this stage of his career. His play was already demonstrating age-related regression even before he got hurt. It's natural to wonder just how much Tannehill has left in the tank.

He does, however, have loads of experience that could make him a safer option that Willis if he's anywhere close to 100%. Tannehill can be trusted no to turn the ball over and his accuracy on short and intermediate throws make him a nice, safe fit for a Green Bay offense that isn't going to take big chances without Love on the field.

Tannehill's age prevent him from being anything more than a stop-gap for the Packers. There is a reason why they traded for Willis instead of going with a bigger-name veteran. They want to find a quarterback who can provide support for Love for years to come. That could be a main reason why they're staying away from Tannehill despite his availability.

So what should the Packers do?

If Willis proves he is not the right guy for the job on Sunday then the Packers should move swiftly to sign Ridder off of Arizona's practice squad. Of all the options on this list, he's the guy with the best chance of becoming an above-average backup for the next four of five years. Finding a player with that kind of value would be the answer to Green Bay's prayers at backup quarterback.

Ridder is not the sort of signal-caller who can pilot the Packers to postseason glory, but very few NFL teams are able to reach that kind of plateau without their starting quarterback healthy and playing their best football. The best the Packers can hope for here is to keep their hopes alive until Love gets back onto the field in a few weeks time.