Packers cut one of their quarterbacks, which still doesn't solve the problem

The Green Bay Packers are as set as any team at the quarterback position, yet they still have a major issue under center. Allow me to explain.

Jordan Love proved that he is the rightful heir apparent to Aaron Rodgers. He had an unbelievable first full season as an NFL starter, and only got better as the season progressed. He wound up not only getting the Packers to the playoffs, but he helped them win a playoff game, upsetting the Cowboys as the No. 7 seed in the NFC.

Love established himself as one of the best young quarterbacks and he got paid like it, inking a massive four-year extension to remain in Green Bay despite only having one full season of starting under his belt.

The Packers are set with their starter for the present and the future, but the problem is the options behind Love. Green Bay just released one of them, Jacob Eason, but that doesn't exactly solve their problem.

Releasing Jacob Eason does not solve Packers' quarterback problem

The Packers had signed Eason recently with Love waiting for his new contract. Now that Love signed his deal, the Packers did not need Eason anymore, and released him. Eason has two NFL appearances under his belt, completing five of his ten passing attempts. He last appeared in a regular season game for the Carolina Panthers in 2022.

The 26-year-old was never going to play a prominent role on this team, but an argument can be made that none of the quarterbacks with Love as the obvious exception should be playing a major role either. Yet, with that being said, one of Sean Clifford or Michael Pratt would be Love's backup quarterback if the season started today.

It's good that there's no controversy when it comes to Green Bay needing to decide a starter, but they are one Love injury away from having to turn to one of Clifford or Pratt, which is not ideal, to say the least.

Clifford, the favorite to win the backup job, was taken in the fifth round by Green Bay in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Penn State. He has a total of one completed pass in the NFL. Having him as the next man up for a team trying to compete is simply not good enough.

Pratt, Green Bay's seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Tulane, is probably less NFL-ready than Clifford is. Again, that's a problem.

The Packers can and should make a move to address this issue. Having Clifford or Pratt as the third-stringer to develop is fine, but when it comes to being the primary backup, the Packers should have someone they know is ready to play at the NFL level. Why not pull off a minor trade for a quarterback who isn't high up on the depth chart for another team? Why not go out and sign a free agent like Ryan Tannehill?

The Packers are one freak injury away from their season ending in disaster. Acquiring a backup doesn't replace Love's production, but it'd certainly give Green Bay a better chance to win over using these unproven late-round youngsters. Clearing some roster space by releasing Eason is fine if the Packers plan on adding more established depth.