Packers looking for answers following Mile High horrors

The Packers didn't play their starters during Sunday's preseason tilt in Denver, but they still have plenty to worry about as Week 1 nears.

Good morning!

The Green Bay Packers sat over a third of their roster for Sunday's preseason tilt with the Denver Broncos and looked largely lifeless as a result. The game shined a harsh spotlight on some of the team's previously known deficiencies while suggesting the presence of others.

Today's edition of The Leap sorts through which parts of the exhibition performance actually matter and highlights some possible silver linings.

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Backup quarterback remains unsettled

Jason B. Hirschhorn: Sunday couldn't have unfolded much worse for Sean Clifford. The second-year quarterback entered the game with at least a slight lead over rookie Michael Pratt for the backup job, though the gap between the two had seemingly narrowed over the past two weeks. Clifford probably could not have won the competition during the game, but a decent performance could have added separation given his experience and athletic advantages.

Instead, Clifford put his worst impulses on display. Coming off three scoreless drives, he pushed the envelope, forcing a throw into a too-small window in the zone coverage. Even a well-placed ball would have required the intended target, tight end Joel Wilson, to survive a head-on collision. But Clifford sailed the pass, allowing Denver defensive back Keidron Smith to pick it off and return it into the red zone. The Broncos went on to score three plays later.

The sequence infuriated Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. Despite only 30 seconds left before halftime, LaFleur and his staff sent in Pratt to finish the quarter, an ominous sign for Clifford's roster aspirations.

"We're just busting a lot of simple things, a lot of Day 1 installs," LaFleur said during the halftime interview. "It's just disappointing."

Green Bay rode with Pratt the rest of the way, though the results remained largely the same. The rookie didn't complete a single pass more than 5 yards down the field, missing an open Grant DuBose on a fourth-down attempt and badly overthrowing Malik Heath on a deep strike and possible touchdown. The nadir came midway through the third quarter when Pratt hesitated to pull the trigger on his checkdown, allowing Broncos linebacker Jonah Elliss to strip-sack him for a turnover.

Neither Clifford nor Pratt enjoyed quality pass protection on Sunday -- more on that momentarily -- but they take the lion's share of the blame for the biggest mistakes. LaFleur has previously stated that the team will let the competition play out through the final preseason game. However, the front office will have to seriously consider alternatives if neither rises to the challenge.

But even if the Packers ultimately opt for a veteran to backup, they might have to get creative. Ryan Tannehill's name has surfaced often over the past few weeks and surely will again in the aftermath of Sunday's exhibition. Still, he probably won't come cheaply and could have more enticing offers elsewhere. The rest of the free-agent market looks rather barren with Blaine Gabbert as arguably the only semi-palatable option.

Green Bay might have better luck digging through the transaction wire following final cuts. Perhaps the Atlanta Falcons, who decided they've already seen enough preseason snaps of rookie Michael Penix Jr., will part with Taylor Heinicke. The Cleveland Browns probably won't retain all four of their current QBs, leaving Dorian Thompson-Robinson or Tyler Huntley available for another club. Each year features a few surprise cuts, and maybe someone like Kenny Pickett or Josh Dobbs could hit the market.

Whatever the case, the Packers would like to have clarity for the role soon. They enter 2024 with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, and a capable backup for Jordan Love could end up making a huge difference should he miss a stretch of games this season.

Did the Packers gain any clarity at swing tackle?

JBH: Though the situation at backup quarterback took a sharp downward turn Sunday, the picture looks a little clearer at swing tackle. Since the start of training camp, the Packers have rotated between Andre Dillard and Kadeem Telfort with Caleb Jones joining the competition after coming off the non-football injury list. For weeks, none of the three took control of the job, a major concern considering starter Zach Tom's pectoral injury.

It remains too early to say anyone has won the job. However, a leader has emerged, for better or worse. Dillard now appears to have the inside track with one preseason game remaining.

On Sunday, the veteran tackle started at left tackle for the first two Green Bay full drives. He opened a third series there as well, coming out of the game after a roughing penalty gave the offense a new set of downs. Through it all, Dillard held up well in pass protection and did not appear to yield a pressure against the Broncos' starting defense. This performance came a week after he gave up no pressures to the Cleveland Browns, according to Pro Football Focus. While his run blocking proved to be more of a mixed bag, he handled his most important assignment: keeping the quarterback upright.

Meanwhile, the Packers started Telfort at right tackle before moving him over as Dillard's replacement, keeping him there well into the second half. Jones didn't see action until the final seconds of the third quarter, a strong indication that he has fallen behind in the race. In a surprise, sixth-round rookie Travis Glover backfilled at right tackle for Telfort, though his play revealed how far he has to go before the Packers can use him in a regular-season game.

All of which underscores where the swing-tackle competition stands. Dillard, for all his warts, seems the most reliable of the options. Green Bay will look outside the organization in the coming weeks in case a better player becomes available, and perhaps the coaching staff will consider moving Elgton Jenkins or Jordan Morgan in the event of an injury to one of the bookends. Still, Dillard's play has stabilized enough to make him the odds-on favorite for the job.

Other takeaways

• Royce Newman delivered one of his weakest performances in a Packers uniform on Sunday. His blown blocks resulted in several of the offense's worst plays of the game, most glaringly on Clifford's third-down sack and a failed fourth-down conversion attempt. The coaching staff also kept Newman in for the entire game, splitting his time between left and right guard. The former starter entered the day on the wrong side of the roster bubble. At this point, it would feel genuinely shocking if survived final cuts.

• Brenton Cox Jr. and Arron Mosby flashed some pass-rush potential. The former registered a sack early in the third quarter while the latter generated the pressure that directly led to Broncos quarterback Zach Wilson's interception. The Packers' top four at defensive end already appears well entrenched, but at least one more should make the 53-man roster. Perhaps the front office can leverage some of the depth in this position group in a trade before final cuts.