Although the NFL has returned, supporters of the Green Bay Packers may be wishing that their season hadn’t begun on Sunday. Due to a leg injury sustained on Friday night, the Packers lost both their Week 1 matchup against Philadelphia and quarterback Jordan Love.Love’s knee seemed to pop and buckle, which could be a sign of an ACL tear or an MCL sprain. Though it’s too soon to tell, preparations are beginning to be made in case the worst happens.
Surprisingly, that’s where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers come into play.
Fans may not immediately consider Tampa Bay in the wake of a Love injury, but it’s possible that the Bucs save the Packers from an unanticipated quarterback situation.
Love is scheduled for an MRI this weekend, so it’s still unclear exactly how injured he is, but the news is not good. He was hit low, writhed on the ground in agony, and was helped off the pitch by trainers with just a few seconds remaining in the game.
One of the strangest decisions made when the final rosters were announced in late August was the Packers’ decision to waive rookie quarterback Michael Pratt. Given his potential and Sean Clifford’s lacklustre preseason performance, most predicted the Tulane star would at least earn a spot on the practice squad.
Malik Willis takes over as the team’s starter in the event that Love is sidelined for the season, but the Packers have a variety of offensive options. One would be signing Ryan Tannehill, and another would be stealing Pratt back from Tampa Bay to provide depth in an ambiguous circumstance.
After being draughted, the Titans quickly moved Willis down the depth chart because he is not a proven starter. Regaining Pratt’s role is less crucial if the Packers sign Tannehill and retake some of Tennessee’s quarterback room from the previous season because there is more room on the roster.
The Packers would be smart to bring Pratt back and help strengthen the quarterback room if the plan is to work with Willis.
That didn’t transpire, though, and when the Packers exposed Pratt to waivers, the Bucs moved quickly to claim him. After Love’s injury, the shoe might now end up on the other foot.
The only catch is that if Green Bay signs Pratt, Tampa Bay’s practice squad will have to sign him to the 53-man roster. That may be the roadblock preventing all of this, but it might also open the door for Kyle Trask to become a viable alternative.
Although it may seem unlikely, the Packers are suddenly in a dire situation, so every possibility should be taken into account. A phone call to the Bucs could potentially provide some relief.
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