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Matt LaFleur, head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

The Green Bay Packers are set to enter NFL preseason and training camp action with an open battle for the backup quarterback job.

Jordan Love is the clear-cut starter. That isn’t going to change. However, the departure of Malik Willis to the Miami Dolphins in NFL free agency has opened up a backup role behind him.

As of right now, there are three quarterbacks set to battle for the role. Desmond Ridder, Kyle McCord, and undrafted free agent Kyron Drones will have a chance to win the job.

Over the last two years, Love has been forced to miss meaningful football. Willis has stepped in and performed admirably. The Packers badly need to find a quality signal caller to place behind Love in the event that happens again in 2026.

Keeping that in mind, ESPN has made their prediction for the backup job clear.

ESPN Shares Prediction for Packers’ Backup Quarterback

ESPN’s Mike Clay has released his player projections for the 2026 NFL season. In those projections he had Love and Ridder being the two quarterbacks on Green Bay’s roster.

Ridder is the favorite to win the job at this point in time. He is a former NFL starter whose career just hasn’t gone according to plan.

At 26 years old, there is still time for the former Cincinnati college standout to right the ship. Working with an elite quarterback head coach like Matt LaFleur will be valuable for him. LaFleur has done an excellent job with quarterbacks and Willis is a prime example.

Last season, Ridder didn’t play a single game in the NFL. He’s hoping to put his name back on the map with the Packers this season.

What Does Desmond Ridder Bring to the Table?

Since being drafted by the Atlanta Falcons with the No. 74 overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Ridder has failed to live up to the hype.

He has played in 25 career games between the Falcons and Las Vegas Raiders. In those appearances, the quarterback has completed 63.6 percent of his pass attempts for 4,002 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He has also ran for 293 yards and five more scores.

On the outside looking in, those numbers aren’t too shabby. There are many quarterbacks in the NFL who have produced worse statistics.

Ridder has the inside track for the job. Simply having NFL experience as a starter is a major plus for him over both McCord and Drones. However, he’ll still have to win the job in an open competition leading up to the start of the 2026 season.