The Packers’ playoff loss to Philadelphia back in January didn’t just end their season. It cracked open the microscope on Jordan Love. Two days later, Matt LaFleur was already talking about the ‘next step’ for his quarterback – “evolve as a vocal leader.” And by the time OTAs rolled around in March, he was still defending Love. “I think there’s like a narrative out there for whatever reason that he wasn’t as productive as the year before,” LaFleur said. He pointed out the injuries – the MCL sprain, the groin issue – and the offensive drops that sabotaged drives. Still, the perception was there. A one‑and‑done playoff exit. Another season of inconsistency. Another year of waiting for Love to prove it.

Lost in that storyline? Sean Clifford. A 2023 fourth-round pick spent all of 2024 buried on the practice squad. His only crack at relevance came when Green Bay signed him to the active roster before the wild-card matchup with Philly. He dressed, warmed up, but never got a snap. Love and Malik Willis both suited up, and the Packers went down 10-22. That was Clifford’s season – suited but sidelined, with the door closing before he could even step through.

Fast forward to this camp, and ESPN doesn’t see the door opening anytime soon. Clifford isn’t on the Packers’ projected 53-man roster. Another cut candidate, another expendable arm. And yet, the kid won’t stop swinging. “I think I’m off to a good start,” Clifford said this week. “I took what happened last year very personally, and I’m very proud of where I’m at. A lot to go, but I’m excited.” For a quarterback who’s barely touched the field, that’s refusing to give up in its purest form. He’s competing with Taylor Elgersma for the No. 3 spot, but the projection says otherwise.

It wasn’t always this crowded. When the Packers drafted Clifford, he was supposed to be part of the safety net behind Love. But last summer, Green Bay traded a seventh-rounder for Malik Willis, and suddenly the depth chart shifted. Clifford was the developmental guy. Willis was the insurance policy. At first, Willis looked sharp – 74% completions, 550 yards, 3 TDs, no picks, a 124.8 rating. But averaging just 78 yards a game and taking eight sacks showed why he never stuck. Brought in as the fix after Love and Clifford’s 2023 struggles, he ended up just another reminder of the Packers’ QB problem.

But coming back to Clifford, the guy is stubbornly optimistic. And even when he’s not fighting for the QB2 role – that’s Willis’ territory – but he’s not surrendering to the ESPN roster math either. For now, he’s betting on camp to prove his worth. But if Clifford is clawing just to stay in the building, Love is battling something bigger – the turnovers that won’t leave him alone. 

Jordan Love’s growing pains at Packers camp

Packers center Josh Myers tried to sugarcoat it this week. “It’s unbelievable to sit there in the pocket and get to see some of these throws, and the way they land from my point of view is unbelievable,” he said. Compliment with one hand, frustration with the other. Because Myers also admitted that Love goes rogue, ignoring the weekly adjustments they drill. And when that happens? The O-line adjusts late. The receiver’s guess. The result is predictable – interceptions.

And camp has been no different. The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman noted that on Sunday, it was second-year linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper snagging an easy pick on a lofted ball over the middle. Before Hopper, it was Zach Braun, Kamu Grugier-Hill, and Robert Spillane. Different years, same mistake. Love has acknowledged it himself: “There’s always different reasons for interceptions… definitely something I want to focus on moving forward.” 

But here’s the kicker – Love led the NFL in interceptions last season. He can talk footwork, accuracy, and leadership all he wants, but until that number drops, the criticism isn’t going anywhere. And when your backup – the guy who isn’t even guaranteed a roster spot – is drawing headlines for refusing to give up, it doesn’t exactly make the starter’s struggles feel smaller.