Packers quarterback Malik Willis will step in again for an injured Jordan Love. He should be a different quarterback than he was the last time.
GREEN BAY – Time doesn’t stop because Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love will miss at least a week of practice and potentially more after undergoing a procedure to address a ligament injury in his left thumb.
Love’s exact return isn’t known, although general manager Brian Gutekunst said he would be able to take part in some activities next week and would be ready for the season opener against the Detroit Lions. But Love likely won’t do much for the next two weeks and isn’t going to play in the preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks, coach Matt LaFleur said.
So, if the Packers are going to continue to develop offensively over the next weeks, it’s going to be with backup Malik Willis under center.
“That’s life in the National Football League,” LaFleur said.
It is a blow to the team’s development and certainly raises questions about whether it’s worth playing starters in preseason games. The Packers have had a number of starters, key backups and rookies sidelined during camp, including left tackle Rasheed Walker, safety Xavier McKinney, receiver Jayden Reed, receiver Dontayvion Wicks, running back MarShawn Lloyd, receiver Savion Williams, linebacker Collin Oliver and linebacker Quay Walker.
Some of those players are starting to return, but they have missed time that matters.
“You have to adapt, you have to adjust,” LaFleur said. “But just like I said with many of our guys, you never want anybody to miss practice, whether it’s a starter or a backup, it doesn’t matter. You want everybody there working on their craft.”
For Willis, replacing Love isn’t foreign. Three weeks after he arrived in a trade from Tennessee last year, Willis became the starter because Love suffered a knee injury in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
He wound up starting two games and led the Packers to victories in both. Now, he’s got to show that he can expand his game and run the entire offense, which is something he didn’t have to do last year.
“I just think putting together consistent performances,” LaFleur said. “And I can’t imagine, considering the circumstances, him going out and performing much better than he did last season. I think he was here less than three weeks – 19 days I think it was – and he led our team to two victories.
“I love what Malik has been able to do here in a short time in regards to a lot of the core fundamentals that I think are critical in terms of producing good quarterback play. I think he’s really homed in on the mechanics and fundamentals of that, and he’ll only continue to progress.”
Willis didn’t have a productive game in the preseason opener against the New York Jets, completing 4 of 9 passes for 39 yards. He was sacked three times and finished with a passer rating of 57.2.
LaFleur said errors that plagued the offense affected Willis’ performance. He said the two interceptions Willis threw in the first practice of the week Aug. 11 were a good example of that.
“Every situation is a little different,” LaFleur said. “I’d have to go through the reel and explain to you everything (that happened), whether it was a bad decision or a bad ball or maybe somebody else messed up. That’s just part of it.
“He had two yesterday and one was a bad throw, he just missed the throw. And the other one, the ball got batted, and sometimes that happens.”
This article originally appeared on Packers News: Packers must find way to keep improving offensively with Jordan Love out
Category: Football