The Green Bay Packers are in denial about their obvious quarterback problem

The Green Bay Packers have a clear starting quarterback, and there's no reason to doubt them. The Packers two previous quarterbacks have Hall-of-Fame resumes. Brett Favre has been enshrined in Canton. Aaron Rodgers won't be far behind him.

Jordan Love performed admirably last season -- his first as the full-time starter -- and showed exactly what the Packers see in him. Love defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card round, putting on a Patrick Mahomes-esque show and carving Mike McCarthy's team apart. Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst had seen enough, which is why the Packers extended Love, signing him to a four-year, $220 million deal. Quarterbacks are growing more expensive by the day, and Love is no exception.

However, Love is not the issue in Packers training camp. It's the quarterbacks behind Love, Sean Clifford, Michael Pratt and Jacob Eason, who haven't given Matt LaFleur much confidence. Some of Love's game is predicated on escaping the pocket and making plays in the ground game. The Packers are inheriting risk by extending Love -- as great as he is -- and have done little to insure they'll be fine without him.

Packers have a quarterback problem they won't admit...yet

Every team is one injury away from melting down. That is especially true for the Packers, which are one injury away from starting Sean Clifford in a professional football game. Clifford is the listed backup on the Green Bay depth chart. He should also, by no means, receive regular playing time. The Packers are better than this, and Gutekunst ought to find another option via trade or free agency.

If there is anything I've learned from covering the NFL of late, it's that the price for backup quarterbacks is increasing at the same rate as starters. It's ideal to have two players you can count on at the most important position in the sport. The Packers have yet to oblige, and it could cost them. Yes, backups are still backups, but Green Bay's playoff hopes would go out the window with Clifford starting. That might not be the case if the added, say, Ryan Tannehill.

Reporters at Packers camp have been quick to point out just how much Clifford is struggling. These aren't my words. Rather, Acme Packing Co.'s Justis Mosqueda revealed just how bad he has been.

"Struggles continued for second-year quarterback Sean Clifford today. Not only did he throw an interception in a team period, but he also threw a pick on the first play of a two-minute drill. The Penn State product has arguably had the worst camp of any player thus far."

Again, the Packers are one freak play away from THAT man starting under center. Pratt is a fun project but he's also a rookie. The Tulane product succeeding Clifford would be an indictment on the latter, and Green Bay shouldn't let it get to that point.